Sexual practices among the quiché-speaking mayan population of guatemala

The purpose of this focus group research was to learn more about the sexual behaviors and practices of this population, in part to better understand their resistance to family planning. The Mayan population is made up of some twenty-three linguistically distinct groups, which collectively constitute 37-42 percent of the Guatemalan population. The largest of these groups, the Quiché- speakers, were the focus of the first phase of this research, reported in this article. Years of economic and social subjugation have resulted in a far lower standard of living among the Mayans than the dominant ethnic group in Guatemala, the Ladinos. This difference is reflected in numerous health indicators, including one of the lowest contraceptive prevalence rates in the hemisphere.A total of thirteen groups were conducted among men and women of different age groups. All groups were organized and moderated by a team of five Mayan field workers who spoke the language and were familiar with the culture of the area. While there was initial hesitation to the idea of discussing the highly sensitive topic of sexual behavior in a group setting, the methodology proved appropriate and yielded detailed data on the subject. All sessions were taped, translated to Spanish and transcribed for purposes of analysis.