Building Public Health Imagination in Controlling NCDs through Integrative Medicine - A Narrative Synthesis Scoping Review on its Challenges & Future in India

Abstract

Background: India is amidst an epidemiological transition with the country’s health system being tested to manage the dual burden of communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and it is prudent that policy bearers should ensure stratification of data collected through large-scale surveys like NFHS & NSS for better understanding of NCDs in India and AYUSH users for NCDs. The subject scoping review focuses on the uptake of the AYUSH system of medicines in the backdrop of NCDs in India, systems approach to healthcare, the concept of integrative medicine and the challenges it faces in terms of scalability and mass adoption. Design & Method: Through a comprehensive literature review exercise, and nationally representative NFHS data on health, the qualitative research work presents an analysis to comprehend the evident prevalence of NCDs in India and the usage of the AYUSH system of medicine to restrain these chronic conditions with mechanisms like integrative medicine. Results: Out of the 1087 articles validated, 27 were finalised for a detailed review with respect to the identified thematic analysis. The selected articles assimilated through multiple themes and theories include the theory of the classical model of epidemiological and demographic transition and its inference in Indian settings with essential data on diseases (communicable and NCDs) in India, usage of Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM/ AYUSH) in global/ Indian context and its mainstreaming with biomedicine, systems approach to healthcare and global innovations in digital health.