Abstract

Abstract:
BACKGROUND:The diverse tribal populations of India encounter a range of health and nutrition challenges, shaped by their distinct socioeconomic, cultural, and ecological contexts. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, osteoarthritis, diabetes, and heart disease are becoming more common among these communities. This study aims to collect demographic information and assess the health status of a Scheduled Tribe (ST) community across five villages: Kairai, Radhapur, Jiraniakhala, Dinabandhunagar, and Golaghati.OBJECTIVE: To understand the health status of the target population to determine the socio-economic status, living conditions, educational status, dietary habits, lifestyle, and health care-seeking behavior of the ST population.MATERIAL AND METHOD: The observational sectional study was conducted between April 2022 to March 2023 with the approval of the Institute Ethical Committee (IEC). According to the guidelines, the ST population-dominated area of five villages in the West Tripura district of Tripura was selected. The requisite information was documented by a door-to-door visit from respondents who provided their consent for participation in the study. Through a structured format. The data gathered were analyzed through descriptive statistical assessment, measures of frequency, and the position of the data. OBSERVATION: A total of 6,015 participants were surveyed. The population included 2,292 males, 2,326 females, 704 male children, and 693 female children. The survey also collected data on 1,318 houses through a door-to-door survey. Of these houses, 53.03% were identified as kutcha (temporary) structures, all of which had adequate ventilation. Additionally, 64.11% of the houses had open gutters, and about 70.26% relied on personal wells, borewells, or hand pumps as their source of drinking water. Toilet facilities were located inside the houses. In the current study, the literacy rate among the surveyed respondents is 90.25%. Among the adult population, 44.10% were found to be addicted to various substances, with 22.38% of them specifically addicted to gutkha or pan masala.CONCLUSION: The study highlights the challenging conditions faced by the Scheduled Tribe population in Tripura, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted interventions. It underscores the importance of addressing socio-economic disparities, improving healthcare access, and increasing awareness to enhance health outcomes within these communities.

Key words: Addiction, Health-seeking behavior, Non - Non-communicable disease, Risk factor, Tribal health care, Tripura, Demographic profile.