Morbidity and Treatment Seeking Behavior among Tribes: A study of Mandla District in Madhya Pradesh, India

The present paper tried to examine the morbidity status and treatment seeking behaviors along with its determining factors with using a primary survey in Mandla District of Madhya Pradesh. The study was conducted among 300 rural tribal households from the Bijadandi block in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh. The purposive sampling was applied to select the household for collecting information on morbidity treatment history, place of treatment and reasons for not treating. For this study a structured interview schedule was used in the studied field. The primary survey was conducted from August to November 2019.

The study found that nearly three-fifths had suffered from morbidities within the last 365 days prior to the survey which is higher experienced by 60 & above age groups, female, below primary scholling, farmer and housewife, and or widowed. Fever and cold cough prevalence were higher among tribes. The seeking of treatment is around 90%. Nearly two-fifths had received treatment from public healthcare centers while about three-fifth had received from private healthcare centers. The determinants factors are included the behavior of services provider at public healthcare centers, quality of services, essential services availability and long waiting at center and check to patient before treatment are main reasons for taking treatment from private healthcare centers. Moreover, their socio-economics status makes them more vulnerable for health and treatment. Hence, the principle ‘leaving no one behind’ of SDG goals, prime focus should be on Health and socio-economic well-being of tribes and the vulnerable groups. 

Keywords: Tribes, Mandla, Morbidity, Treatment, Madhya Pradesh