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The
social and economic environment plays a key role in the health of
the community and is an important factor in determining the vulnerability
to develop illness and/or die. The parishes in the NE Region are
among the poorest in Jamaica (exception is made of St. Ann).
According
to a recent report¹, Portland displays the largest percentage of
unemployment in the 15-25 age group (30.61%) and St. Mary is the
second parish with the largest number of communities below the poverty
line. Both parishes were consistently mentioned among the most deprived
in Jamaica.
The
Poverty Mapping report utilizes four basic indicators to determine
the level of poverty in Jamaica. As seen in Table # 5, in all four
indicators, St. Mary and Portland ranked among the highest in the
country.
Table
# 5
Poverty
Indicators in the NE Region
| Parish
|
%
15-29 with Primary Education Only |
%
Labour force 15-29 Unemployed |
%
of households without exclusive water closet |
%
Households without piped water in the dwelling |
| Portland
St.
Mary
St.
Ann |
42.96
34.75
38.86
|
30.61
30.45
22.46
|
76.23
80.00
67.71
|
80.49
81.11
71.87
|
Source:
PIOJ
Portland
displays the second highest average of persons with primary education
only (age group 15-29) compared to St. Ann (fifth highest) and St.
Mary (ninth highest). When comparing communities with the highest
percentage of primary education only with communities with the lowest
percentage, Portland exhibits the largest interval (82.4%). Portland
also displays gross disparities in comparing communities with the
lowest rate of unemployment (0%) and those with the highest (82%).
The
major economic activity in the region is tourism and related services.
The NE Region, an important and world famous tourist destination,
has 50 hotels, 32 major attractions and receives approximately 500
cruise ships per year, bringing visitors in excess of 907,611 (2000).
According to Tourist Board statistics, over 2,231,765 tourists visited
Ocho Rios and it’s environs in the year 2000. ²
The
most recent data available (1991) reports that there were a total
of 83,715 households in the region, (3.8 individuals constituted
an average household). This number has changed considerably in the
last decade due to the rapidly expanding urbanisation process, especially
in the Parish of St. Ann.
Geographical
Location Regional
Profile
Demographic Profile
Environmental Profile
Epidemiological Profile
Health
Delivery System
Health
Infrastructure
Organizational Structure
Footnotes and Annexes |