ABSTRACT
Introduction: cultural context The estimated population of Jamaica at the end of 2009 was 2,698,800 with an estimated growth rate of approximately 0.2 percent (ESSJ, 2009). The ethnic make-up of the Jamaican population is 91.2 percent black, 6.2 percent mixed (Chinese, Indian, Caucasian), and 2.6 percent unknown (Jamaica Demographic Profile, 2013). The majority (36 percent) of the population falls between 25-54 years of age (Jamaica Demographic Profile, 2014). This chapter contextualizes the origin of the Jamaican population and the traditions, cultural and structural influences pertaining to mental health. It provides a historical overview of the care of the mentally ill from institutionalization to deinstitutionalization. Finally it highlights the views of psychiatric workers towards deinstitutionalization.
