Physical and Mental Health Status of Tribal People in Odisha: A Systematic Literature Review

What is it about?

India has the world’s second-largest tribal population, making it imperative to study and understand the health issues of tribal communities. However, the extent of physical and mental health issues is relatively unknown in the country, especially in the tribal-dominated state of Odisha. With this idea, we systematically reviewed the studies associated with the physical and mental health conditions of tribals in Odisha. The study analyzed 25 papers on tribal communities in Odisha, revealing various physical and mental health issues such as TB, malaria, infestations, and infections. Low socio-economic conditions, lack of education, societal customs, poor hygiene, malnutrition, unsanitary living conditions, and food insecurity are the causes of prone to disease. For treatment, they use different types of traditional methods, such as wild-ant chutney for cough, Amar poi leaves for diarrhea, and Ganagasiuli leaves juice for malaria and fever. Tribal communities also suffer from different types of mental health issues like stress, depression, and bipolar disorder.

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Why is it important?

Article 21 of the Constitution of India mentions the protection of life as a basic requirement of human existence, and this article ensures that the right to health is extended to every citizen. Although, since independence, India has made several healthcare reforms at both national and state levels, the country continues to face significant challenges to achieving better performance in the healthcare system. The tribal community has the additional disadvantage of remote location and being marginalized, which makes them largely unaffected by the developmental initiatives being carried out in the state. The application and realization of health policies in tribal areas remain a significant challenge as the community continues to suffer from malnutrition, and basic sanitation facilities, including a lack of clean drinking water, poverty, and geographic inaccessibility. These challenges become even more profound in states like Odisha with a proneness to natural calamities. With this background, this systematic review aims to analyze and comprehend the research published on health status and its associated factors, including physical and psychological diseases, livelihoods, beliefs, and practices of the tribal people in Odisha. In the health status, we examine some national health indicators such as infant and under-five mortality rates, maternal health, nutrition, and the life expectancy status of the tribal people in Odisha. In addition, this systematic review determines the socioeconomic status and ecological condition of tribal women and the effectiveness of government health schemes.