HEALTH IN THE CARIBBEAN

Pre-Columbian Era:

• Characterized by an absence of infectious diseases.

• Malnutrition caused by dietary deficiencies was common.

• Main causes of death:

  • Hunting and fishing accidents

  • Childbirth

  • Natural disasters

Columbian Era:

• Europeans introduced infectious diseases, which indigenous populations had no immunity against:

  • Smallpox

  • Measles

  • Venereal diseases

  • Dysentery

• Malnutrition worsened as indigenous people were displaced from coastal areas to plantations:

  • They were underfed.

  • Could not engage in traditional hunting and fishing.

• Many died due to war and disease, leading to population decimation.

Slave Society:

• About 20 million Africans were taken from the continent; one-fifth died before reaching the Caribbean.

• High mortality during the Middle Passage due to:

  • Malnutrition

  • Lack of sanitation

  • Suicide

  • Beatings and violence

• On plantations, slaves suffered from:

  • Measles

  • Malaria

  • Smallpox

  • Dysentery

  • Other communicable diseases

• Europeans also suffered from diseases brought by enslaved Africans, including:

  • Malaria

  • Yellow fever

Post-Emancipation Era:

• Colonial authorities attempted to establish public health systems.

• Many freed slaves migrated to urban centers, forming ghetto-like communities.

• Poor conditions led to rampant diseases:

  • Cholera

  • Dysentery

  • Smallpox

  • Malaria

  • Yellow fever

  • Tuberculosis

Health Challenges:

• High morbidity and mortality rates due to:

  • Lack of proper drainage

  • Unreliable garbage disposal system

  • Inadequate water supply

  • Open-pit latrines in cities

• Many suffered from:

  • Parasitic diseases

  • Malnutrition

  • Untreated venereal diseases (e.g., syphilis, gonorrhea)

Post-Independence Era:

• Economic diversification led to health improvements.

• Communicable diseases declined due to efforts from WHO and PAHO.

• Rise in non-communicable lifestyle diseases due to poor diets, smoking, alcohol consumption, and lack of exercise:

  • Diabetes

  • Hypertension

  • Stroke

  • Cancers

  • Heart disease

  • Obesity