Journal of Anthropology Reports

Abstrakt

Psychiatric-induced births in Jamaica: Impact of murder and death on pregnancy

Paul Andrew Bourne and Angela Hudson-Davis

For this paper, the researchers filled the gap in the health literature by pursuing the following objectives: 1) to evaluate the role of homicide in maternity hospital admissions (or pregnancies); 2) to assess whether deaths can trigger pregnancy or birth; 3) to determine the response of hospitalizations in a mental health facility among pregnant women; and 4) to calculate the response of hospitalizations in a maternity facility based on changes in homicides or deaths. Data for this study were obtained from a publication by the Government of Jamaica. In addition, data were obtained from the Ministry of Health (2005–2015) on admissions to a national public psychiatric hospital in Jamaica, Bellevue Hospital. The time period for this paper is from 2005 to 2015. Homicide has an effect on admissions to Victoria Jubilee Hospital when positive elasticities are used, particularly those greater than one.