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21 Soc. Change 3 (1991)

handle is hein.journals/sclcnge21 and id is 1 raw text is: Social Change : Mardh 1991: Vol. 21 No.1 Understanding the health of the tribals Amar Kumar Singh Meera Jayaswal Azariah Hans The studies on the health of the tribals in India have been reviewed, and it has been concluded that the low health status-of the tribal population is not because of their ethnicity or tribalness but because of their ruralness, illiteracy and poverty. The low health status of the trib- als can be improved by scientific health education intervention. 1. Introduction The present paper is based on.a long-term research programme on health education of the tribal population in Bihar, sponsored by the Indian Council of MedicalResearch (ICMR), New Delhi and conducted by the Post-Graduate Department of Psychology, Ranchi Univetsity. The results of ICMR and allied projects have been published in Social Change (Jayaswal, 1985; Jayaswal and Singh, 1989; Sahay and Singh, 1989; Singh, 1984b; Singh et al., 1987a; 1987b; 1988). Health of the tribals: Ethnicity versus SES It is generally believed that the difference between the health status of the tribals and the non-tribals is a consequence of ethnicity. The health of the'tribals is explained in relation to their tribalness, a cultural product of age-old historical process and inherited biologicaltraits. A different explanation of the health of the tribals focuses on their socio-economic characteristics, the most important of which are ruralness, illiteracy and poverty (Table 1). An overwhelmingly large percentage of the tribal population (94%) live in the villages of India as well as in Bihar. The ruralliteracy in India in the general population is 30%, the corresponding figure for Bihar is 23% for general population and 16% for the tribal population. The rural tribal female literacy is much lower in India. it is 7% compared with 18% in the general population. In Bihar the rural tribal female literacy is 7% compared with 10% in the general population. Majority of the rural tribal population in India (58%) and Bihar (65%) exist below the poverty line. The tribal ethnicity as an explanation of tribal health has been suggested mainly by anthropologists and journalists. Most of the studies lack methodological rigor and sophistication. The ethnicity factor, as an explanation of the health of the tribals, has not been examined separating it from the socio-economic conditions of the tribals. In the last few years some literature, using survey * Professor of Psychology and Vice-Chancellor, Ranchi University, RANCHI - 834001 (Executive Chairperson, Council for Social Development, 53 Lodi Estate, NEW DELHI - 110 003). ** Assistant Director, Population Education Resource Centre, Ranchi University, RANCHI - 834001. *** Director, Department of Adult Continuing Education and Extension, Ranchi University, RANCHI - 834001.

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