Health Seeking Behavior towards Malaria among Tribal & Non-Tribal Groups Inhabiting Villages of Kotra, Udaipur

Abstract

Background & objectives: Low socio-economic conditions, poor education and difficult accessibility to health facilities, tribal population is more prone to Malaria. Tribal people live in main villages & surrounding hamlets where health personnel's services are not available due to lack of proper road & transport facilities. Hamlet dwellers need to reach at main villages to receive any health service. Present paper aims to reveal the health seeking behavior towards Malaria by tribal as well as non-tribal groups residing in main villages & hamlets, so that informational needs of tribal groups on malaria issues can be addressed by health authority.

Methods: A cross sectional community based study was conducted in 97 tribal households out of which 70 from main villages & 27 from hamlets from two study villages of Kotra, Udaipur during February, 2013 to May, 2013. Non-tribal households (n=103) were also covered from two study villages.

Results: Occurrence of malaria was observed 79.4% in tribal households (hamlets & main villages) as compared to 70.8% in non-tribal households. 40.3% of 77 total ‘Tribal Suspected Malaria Cases' sought treatment from Bengali Doctors & 37.7% from Government Health Facility.  In case of 73 ‘Non-Tribal Suspected malaria Cases', 61.6% of them sought treatment from Government Health Facility & 9.6% from Bengali Doctors.

Interpretation & conclusions: The findings of the present paper will help health authorities / concerned institutes to better understand the informational needs of tribal groups on malaria issues.