REFUGEE FACT SHEET NO.10| << | CHAPTER |
| HAITIANS—
THEIR
HISTORY AND CULTURE
REFUGEE FACT SHEET NO.10 |
|||||
|
CONTENTS | PREFACE | INTRODUCTION | LAND | PEOPLE | ECONOMY | HISTORY | EDUCATION | LANGUAGE | HEALTH | FAMILY | RELIGION | CULTURE | HOLIDAYS | PROVERBS | HAITIAN CREOLE | CONCLUSION | BIBLIOGRAPHY | ORDER A PRINT COPY | ||||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
Rural areas are especially lacking in health services because of the poor infrastructure.
|
Health and Health Services The poverty in Haiti is reflected in the health statistics of its population. The infant mortality rate is the highest in the Americas, and life expectancy, at approximately 52 years, is the lowest in the Caribbean. Since Haiti has the second-lowest per capita caloric intake in the world, malnutrition is widespread, especially among the young and the poor. The population is afflicted by a number of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, parasitic infections, and malaria, since a majority of the people live in malarial areas. Poor sanitation obviously contributes to these illnesses. In 1984, less than 20% of the population had toilets, and only one-fourth of the rural population had access to potable water. In 1982, the United States Centers for Disease Control mistakenly classified Haitians as a high-risk group for AIDS, in part because early studies wrongly suggested that the disease originated in Haiti. Indeed, some have suggested that AIDS in Haiti could be traced back to tourism in the 1970s. At that time, cheap vacation packages brought pleasure-seeking tourists to Haiti, stimulating the growth of prostitution as well as sexually-transmitted diseases. Although the high-risk classification was dropped in 1985, many Haitians in the U.S. had already become the victims of AIDS hysteria; some lost their jobs. While the exact number of people infected with HIV in Haiti is unknown, the disease has mostly affected the heterosexual population. Another factor contributing to poor health conditions is the lack of medical services. Political repression has caused a "brain drain," and many of those who emigrated were doctors. The few doctors remaining in Haiti are mainly located in the capital, where they tend to cater to the elite who can afford their services. Religious and social service agencies have established clinics, but the number of people who require services cannot be accommodated. Rural areas are especially lacking in health services because of the poor infrastructure. Given the lack of modern, professional health services, it is not surprising that many of the people rely on traditional herbal remedies and religious healers to diagnose and treat illnesses. |
|
|
|
|
|||
|
www.culturalorientation.net |