Tribal Populations Of India Research Articles

Prevalence of Hypertension in Indian Tribal Adult population: A Scoping Review

Background: There is an increasing trend in prevalence of hypertension worldwide. Studies have shown that tribal populations in India are also experiencing this transition. Objective: To know the prevalence of hypertension in tribal population of India. Method: A literature search PubMed, Google scholar databases from January 1980-December 2019 using the MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) - prevalence, hypertension, tribal, adult population, India, cross-sectional studies was conducted. Out of the total 96 published studies which reported the prevalence of hypertension in Indian tribal population, 21 were included in the review. Data Extraction: All the data were extracted by the investigators using a standardized protocol and data collection form. Result: Total twenty-one studies with sample size varying from 154 to 47,401 were included in the review. The reported prevalence of hypertension in tribal populations varied from 10% to 55.5% in different regions and states of India. The prevalence of hypertension in males was higher than females. Increasing age, body mass index, smoking, diabetes and extra salt intake were common risk factors. Conclusion: The prevalence of hypertension in Indian tribal population is as high as other urban and rural populations and needs preventive measures to control the problem. How to cite this article: Tripathi N, Kishore J, Babu B. Prevalence of Hypertension in Indian Tribal Adult population: A Scoping Review. J Adv Res Med 2020; 7(1): 5-13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2349.7181.202002

Costs and operation management of community outreach program for tuberculosis in tribal populations in India.

To evaluate costs of an active case finding (ACF) program with tuberculosis (TB) treatment delivery and monitoring, which targeted a rural tribal population in India. A time and motion study was conducted to evaluate operations and workload. Costs from the program perspective were assessed using both the bottom-up and top-down costing methods, exclusive of routine TB care costs. The impact of ACF on routine TB laboratory workloads was measured based on the changes in available staff time per smear at nine designated microscopy centers before and after program implementation. A majority (53.2%) of the community health-care worker's time was spent in traveling to communities, with an average of 22 TB patients (95% CI 19.14-24.94) seen per day per person. Costs (at 2015 $US rates) were US$1.85-US$2.42 per patient screened and submitting sputum, US$2.51-US$4.74 per person diagnosed with TB, and US$22.52-US$34.13 per TB patient completing treatment. Total smear volumes increased significantly after the ACF program, with more than a 15% reduction in available staff time per sputum smear test in most laboratories. This low-cost, ACF program has the potential to be highly cost-effective in addressing gaps in TB care problems in rural India.

Genetic Architecture of Southeast-coastal Indian tribal populations: A Y-chromosomal phylogenetic analysis

BackgroundY chromosome single nucleotide polymorphisms (Y-SNPs) are useful markers for reconstructing male lineages, haplogroup determinations, and paternity identifications. Since Y chromosome lacks recombination, the haplogroups of this series show a greater extent of diverse genome-specific geographical distributions and these haplogroups have been found to play a major role in forensic investigations and population genetics.Materials and methodsThe present study is aimed at determining the Y chromosomal phylogeny of two southeast coastal Indian tribal populations (Porja and Savara; N = 217), using a set of 15 bi-allelic markers on the non-recombining region of Y chromosome, representing two Austro-Asiatic (AA) language speaking populations.Results and conclusionsThe phylogenetic analysis revealed four paternal haplogroups, viz., H1*-M52, H1a*-M82, O2a*-M95, and R2-M124, with high frequency (84.79%) represented by the Austro-Asiatic-specific haplogroup O2a* (M95), confirming to the fact of O2a* haplogroup being the paternal signature of AA language family of Southeast Asians.

Collection to Commercialisation: The Broomstick Enterprise of the Savara Tribe

Micro enterprise activities based on agriculture and forest produce in hilly terrains are the major source of livelihoods for the Indian tribal population. The article presents the problems and challenges faced by the Savaras in broom grass-based micro enterprises in the Srikakulam District of Andhra Pradesh. The Savaras are traditional broom grass collectors, a primary source of their livelihood. Over a period of time they have learned to cultivate broom grass in their podu1 lands. The collection and cultivation of broom grass has been observed as an important transition in the livelihoods of the Savaras.

Assessment of under nutrition using composite index of anthropometric failure among under five children of tribal population

Background: Under nutrition is one of the most imperative problems among children that needed to be addressed in the realm of public health. Undernourished children cannot maintain natural biological abilities, such as growth, recuperating from ailments, learning and physical development. Poor feeding practices along with illnesses like diarrhoea, pneumonia, helminthic infections etc. are major determinants of under nutrition in India. The tribal populations in India are identified to be the autochthonous people of the land thereby being one of the major sufferers of under nutrition. This study aimed at finding out the prevalence of under nutrition among under-five children in tribal population in Tiruchirappalli district of Tamil Nadu.Methods: This community based cross-sectional analytical study was done among Malayali Tribes population of Puthur village, Pachamalai Hills, Trichy to determine the prevalence of under-nutrition using CIAF and WHO Z scoring system and its risk factors by multivariate analysis.Results: Out of 100 children, about 85% were undernourished as per CIAF criteria. In the Multivariate analysis, children of employed mother and children who were not given exclusive breast feeding were associated with Under nutrition which was statistically significant (p<0.05).Conclusions: CIAF could be considered as a better measure than any other single index to identify the problem in the community. The study also emphasizes the significance of proper IYCF practices among employed mothers and improvement of MCH services in Tribal population during antenatal and immediate postnatal period to bring down the prevalence of under nutrition.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Vitamin A Deficiency in Children and Women of Childbearing Age in a Southern Indian Tribal Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background:Night blindness and keratomalacia continue to be a problem among the tribal children and pregnant women residing in Jawadhi hills.Objectives:The objective of the study is to determine the prevalence and risk factors of Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) among children aged 1–8 years and women of reproductive age in a southern Indian tribal population.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was done among children aged 1–8 years and women aged 15–45 years residing in Jawadhi hills. Participants were randomly selected by cluster sampling. Their sociodemographic characteristics and frequency of consumption of Vitamin A rich food were collected through a structured questionnaire. Anthropometric measures and serum retinol levels, using high-performance liquid chromatography, were estimated for all participants.Results:A total of 166 children and 211 women participated in this study. The prevalence of VAD among the children (1–8 years) was 10.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.5%–14.9%) and among women of the reproductive age group was 3.8% (95% CI: 1.2%–6.4%). Dietary intake was not associated with serum retinol levels. Low educational status of the head of the household (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 8.9) and pregnancy (aOR = 11.6) was significantly associated with an increased risk of VAD among children and women, respectively.Conclusions:The prevalence of VAD among children is a moderate public health problem. Strategies must focus on pregnant women and children from families with more than four children.

Rights of Indian tribal population and implementation of Forest Rights Act, 2006—a critical analysis

The history of land acquisition, including forests, is not new in India. The same has been in existence since the conquest of British. A number of laws and policies were framed from time to time which restricted the rights of tribes and forest dwellers. Some laws even displaced them. The Forest Rights Act, 2006 was enacted to give recognition to rights of scheduled tribes and traditional forest dwellers. The paper intends to analyse the implementation of the Act and understand the impact of change it may have brought. Keywords: Tribes, forest, dwellers, rights, India, implementation

Assessment of Oral Lesions and Its Association With Smoking Habits in Paniya Tribes of India

Background: The tribal populations throughout India have remained socially and culturally alienated from mainstream Indian society until developmental and conservation activities in tribal areas forced interactions between them. Oral health remains far neglected especially among the underprivileged tribal populations in India. Oral leukoplakia and oral submucous fibrosis are the most common oral mucosal diseases that have a very high malignant transformation rate. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the oral lesions among smoking habits in Paniya tribes of Wayanad, India. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was done among 170 nonsmoking and 145 smoking Paniya tribal populations of Wayanad district from January 2016 after approval from the institutional ethical committee. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect data regarding study variables. Results: In this study oral lesions was found to be far more prevalent among smoking Paniya tribes than among the non smoking ( P < 0.0001). The prevalence of oral lesions was found to be 48% among smokers. This was much higher than the 7% found among the nonsmokers. Among smokers gingivitis (82%) and periodontitis (68%) is the common lesions followed by oral pigmentation (33%), angular cheilitis (16%), oral submucous fibrosis (12%), leukoplakia (8%) and oral candidiasis (4%). Among the smokers a statistically significant relationship was observed between oral lesions and poor access to oral health care ( P < 0.001). Conclusion: The current study demonstrates gross disparities in oral lesions among smoking and nonsmoking Paniya tribes. Oral health problems due to tobacco use are highly prevalent in the tribal community of Wayanad. Hence attention should be focused on improving the oral health status of this unprivileged group.

Why ethnicity and gender matters for fertility intention among married young people: a baseline evaluation from a gender transformative intervention in rural India

BackgroundSocial inequities in early child bearing persist among young married people, especially among tribal populations in India. Rural women belonging to tribal groups and those coming from poor households are more likely to give birth before age 18. This paper explores the connection between ethnicity, gender and early fertility intention among young married people in rural India.MethodsThe data is drawn from a cross sectional baseline evaluation of an intervention programme in rural India. A sample of 273 married young people was taken. Respondents were selected using systematic random sampling. Logistic Regression was used to assess the effect of being a tribal on early fertility intention and also to determine if covariates associated with early fertility intention differed by tribal status. Qualitative data was analysed using deductive content analysis approach.ResultsBivariate and logistic regression results indicated that young married people from tribal communities had higher odds of planning a child within one year of marriage than non-tribals (OR = 1.47, p-value-0.079). Findings further suggest that early fertility intention among tribals is driven by gender factors and higher education and among non-tribals, higher education and awareness on contraception are key predictors. Among tribals, the odds of planning a child within one year of marriage was strongly associated with inequitable gender norms (OR = 1.94, p-value-0.002). Higher education showed significant positive association with non-tribals (OR = 0.19, p-value-0.014) and positive association with tribals (OR = 0.56, p-value-0.416). Qualitative investigation confirms that fertility desires of young married people are strongly influenced by gender norms especially among tribal populations.ConclusionEarly child bearing was underpinned by complex ethnic factors and gender norms. Preference for early child bearing was seen most among tribal communities. Gender attitudes were a cause of concern especially among tribal groups. These results suggest that efforts to improve early child birth will require changing gender norms related to fertility among tribals as well as social equity issues including higher education among non-tribals and tribals.

The hidden cost of development—a review of mental health issues of displaced tribal populations in India

The main aim of this study was to assess the psychological consequences that displacement brings into the lives of India’s tribal populations, specifically, in the form of mental illness. Literature review. The impact of forced displacement on the mental state of tribal populations is significant and multi-faceted. In spite of sufficient evidence indicating the extent of mental health challenges, the Governmental response in India has been completely missing. Some of the challenges in the path of Indian health providers are poor diagnostic facilities, lack of psychiatric epidemiological data for tribal populations, and culturally inappropriate instruments. Scientists and practitioners can play an important role in bridging the knowledge gap in the field. It is necessary to perceive the mental health status of displaced tribal populations within the larger framework of social justice. A strictly biomedical approach is insufficient when the individuals seeking help are under constant stress. Thus, a mental health program is needed for tribal people that offers a perspective broad enough to address the needs of individuals and the local worlds in which they live.

Differential distribution and association of FTO rs9939609 gene polymorphism with obesity: A cross-sectional study among two tribal populations of India with East-Asian ancestry

The fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) rs9939609 gene polymorphism is most widely studied in terms of obesity in various populations. Recently, the prevalence of obesity has been reported to be very high among the North-Eastern State of India. The major aim of the present study is to understand the extent of FTO rs9939609 gene polymorphism and its association with obesity among the two North-East Indian tribal populations with similar East Asian ancestry.Somatometric data and fasting blood sample were collected from 521 tribal individuals (258 Liangmai and 263 Mizo) of Manipur after obtaining written informed consent. Genotyping of FTO rs9939609 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was done using restriction fragment length polymorphism method for PCR-amplified fragments.Both the presently studied populations were not following Hardy-Weinberg law. The prevalence of obesity and minor allele frequency of FTO rs9939609 polymorphism was found to be significantly higher among the Mizo tribe compared to that of Liangmai. The selected polymorphism was found to be significantly associated with obesity (BMI) only among the Liangmai tribe (Odds ratio-3.0; 95% CI-1.4, 6.4; p-0.003), after adjusting for age and occupation. Age-cohort wise distribution and absolute fitness analysis indicated the lower fitness of minor allele in the higher age group among the Liangmai tribe.To the best of the author's knowledge this is the first study, associating FTO rs9939609 gene polymorphism and obesity in the North-eastern Indian tribal populations with East-Asian ancestry. This study revealed the FTO rs9939609 polymorphism is observed to be associated with obesity only among the Liangmai tribe not among the Mizo tribe. The differential distribution and association observed in the two selected tribes, inhabited in a similar geographical region, could be attributed to differences in their migratory histories in terms of both route and time of settlement.

Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder among Rural, Urban, and Tribal Children (1-10 Years of Age).

Introduction:Studies on autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have largely focused on children in specific settings. The current scenario of research in ASDs is limited largely to clinic-based case reports, case series, and retrospective chart reviews. The present study is the first population-based prevalence study conducted across rural, urban, and tribal populations in India.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional two-phase study was conducted covering children in the age group of 1–10 years of age across geographical regions representing rural, urban, and tribal populations. The first phase (screening phase) involved administration of the Hindi version of the Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism. Those identified as suspected of ASD and 10% of all classified as nonsuspects for autism were also evaluated by the clinical team in second phase (evaluation phase).Results:Forty-three children out of a total of 28,070 children in rural, urban, and tribal area in the age group of 1–10 years were diagnosed as cases of ASD yielding a prevalence of 0.15% (95% confidence interval [CI] =0.15–0.25). Logistic regression analysis showed a two times significantly higher risk of diagnosing ASD in rural area as compared to tribal (odds ratio [OR]; 95% CI = 2.17 [1.04–4.52], P = 0.04). Male sex and upper socioeconomic group of head of family/father had a higher risk of getting diagnosed as autism as compared to lower socioeconomic group (OR; 95% CI - 3.23; 0.24–44.28, P = 0.38).Conclusions:Estimation of true prevalence of ASD in India is going to improve policies on developmental disabilities.

Y-chromosomal sequences of diverse Indian populations and the ancestry of the Andamanese.

We present 42 new Y-chromosomal sequences from diverse Indian tribal and non-tribal populations, including the Jarawa and Onge from the Andaman Islands, which are analysed within a calibrated Y-chromosomal phylogeny incorporating South Asian (in total 305 individuals) and worldwide (in total 1286 individuals) data from the 1000 Genomes Project. In contrast to the more ancient ancestry in the South than in the North that has been claimed, we detected very similar coalescence times within Northern and Southern non-tribal Indian populations. A closest neighbour analysis in the phylogeny showed that Indian populations have an affinity towards Southern European populations and that the time of divergence from these populations substantially predated the Indo-European migration into India, probably reflecting ancient shared ancestry rather than the Indo-European migration, which had little effect on Indian male lineages. Among the tribal populations, the Birhor (Austro-Asiatic-speaking) and Irula (Dravidian-speaking) are the nearest neighbours of South Asian non-tribal populations, with a common origin in the last few millennia. In contrast, the Riang (Tibeto-Burman-speaking) and Andamanese have their nearest neighbour lineages in East Asia. The Jarawa and Onge shared haplogroup D lineages with each other within the last ~7000years, but had diverged from Japanese haplogroup D Y-chromosomes ~53000years ago, most likely by a split from a shared ancestral population. This analysis suggests that Indian populations have complex ancestry which cannot be explained by a single expansion model.

A prospective comparative field study to evaluate the efficacy of a traditional plant-based malaria prophylaxis.

An unceasing threat of resistance of malarial parasites to available antimalarial drugs makes the development of new drugs imperative. Natural plant-based products are an alternative source for discovering new antimalarial drugs. To determine the prophylactic efficacy of a traditionally used plant-based drug on prevention of malaria in endemic villages of Odisha, India. A total of 267 healthy human volunteers of both sexes, aged 18-60 years were enrolled in Odisha, India, to receive either minimum 20 doses of aqueous extract of Traditional Plant-based Malaria Prophylactic drug 74, twice a week (experimental group), or no drug (control group) for 14 weeks. The primary criterion was the occurrence of malaria positive cases confirmed through expert microscopy during the study period. Analyses were by per-protocol (PP) and modified intention-to-treat (mITT). A significant (P < 0.01) reduction (64%) of malaria incidence was observed in the experimental group compared to control group, 12.3% and 26.6%, respectively, as PP analysis. However, the reduction was nonsignificant as per mITT analysis (P = 0.22). The experimental group showed a relative risk of 0.36 compared to control group. This preliminary study constitutes a potential "proof of concept" for the development of malaria prophylactic drug and provide a scientific basis for the use of traditional remedy as a malaria preventive by tribal populations in India.

Extent of Energy Poverty among Tribal and its linkages to the child health and development In India

Introduction The energy poverty refers to the lack of access of poorer households’ to sufficient volumes of efficient means of energy for their daily use. In developing countries the development needs are intrinsically linked to solving the question of energy poverty. In this paper we have focus on identifying the associations in understanding the present energy resources being used amongst the Indian tribal population and child health and their development issues. Methods The data used for the present study is India Human Development Survey-II (IHDS-II), 2011-12 which is a nationally representative, multi-topic survey of 42,152 households in 1,503 villages and 971 urban neighbourhoods across India. These data are mostly re-interviews of households interviewed for IHDS-I, 2004-05. Results The results showed that the consumption of polluting fuel is more prevalent among tribal, belonging to the backward section of the society they consume the readily available cheapest source of energy far more than any other cast. A significant percentage of them also not aware about if the smoke is harmful. It was also found that the birth weight of tribal children is comparatively far lesser than the children of the other cast. Conclusion In conclusion we can say that the traditional forest energy resources that tribal still use today greatly influences the health of their children as well as their family. In the modern times where the modern energy sources can be made available at low cost can change the health as well as the infrastructural face of the tribal community.

Infant mortality differentials among the tribal and non-tribal populations of Central and Eastern India

Higher infant mortality among tribal populations in India is well-documented. However, it is rare to compare factors associated with infant mortality in tribal populations with those in non-tribal populations. In the present paper, Cox proportional hazards models were employed to examine factors influencing infant mortality in tribal and non-tribal populations in the Central and Eastern Indian states using data from the District Level Household Survey-III in 2007-2008. Characteristics of mothers, infants, and households/communities plus a program variable reflecting the place of pregnancy registration were included in the analyses. We found that the gap in infant mortality between tribal and non-tribal populations was substantial in the early months after birth, narrowed between the fourth and eighth months, and enlarged mildly afterwards. Cox regression models show that while some factors were similarly associated with infant mortality in tribes and non-tribes, distinctive differences between tribal and non-tribal populations were striking. Sex of infants, breastfeeding with colostrum, and age of mother at birth acted similarly between tribes and non-tribes, yet factors such as state of residence, wealth, religion, place of residence, mother’s education, and birth order behaved differently. The program factor was non-significant in both tribal and non-tribal populations.

Dissecting the influence of Neolithic demic diffusion on Indian Y-chromosome pool through J2-M172 haplogroup.

The global distribution of J2-M172 sub-haplogroups has been associated with Neolithic demic diffusion. Two branches of J2-M172, J2a-M410 and J2b-M102 make a considerable part of Y chromosome gene pool of the Indian subcontinent. We investigated the Neolithic contribution of demic dispersal from West to Indian paternal lineages, which majorly consists of haplogroups of Late Pleistocene ancestry. To accomplish this, we have analysed 3023 Y-chromosomes from different ethnic populations, of which 355 belonged to J2-M172. Comparison of our data with worldwide data, including Y-STRs of 1157 individuals and haplogroup frequencies of 6966 individuals, suggested a complex scenario that cannot be explained by a single wave of agricultural expansion from Near East to South Asia. Contrary to the widely accepted elite dominance model, we found a substantial presence of J2a-M410 and J2b-M102 haplogroups in both caste and tribal populations of India. Unlike demic spread in Eurasia, our results advocate a unique, complex and ancient arrival of J2a-M410 and J2b-M102 haplogroups into Indian subcontinent.

Variation of Abnormal Hemoglobins Concentrated in Durg, Chhattisgarh: A Brief Note Based on Cross-Sectional Study

Prevalence of different abnormal hemoglobins (Hb) in Indian tribal and nontribal population groups is well established. Sickle cell hemoglobin (HbS) is mostly concentrated in Central and South Indian states, whereas HbD and Hb E is mostly found in North-North-West and North-North-East states respectively. HbJ, an alpha globin gene variant, is earlier reported in North India whereas; its presence in the tribal Chhattisgarh state is not well understood. HbE, a beta-globin gene variant was earlier reported in North Eastern states of India. Prevalence of both these abnormal hemoglobins in the Central India specifically in Durg, Chattisgarh is incompletely understood. In this study attempts were made to analyze the presence of abnormal hemoglobins during screening for sickle cell anemia. Briefly, blood samples (N=44) were analyzed for sickle cell anemia screening and confirmatory tests by solubility tests and cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis at alkaline pH. Two samples showed an abnormal pattern of separation on cellulose acetate membrane other than HbS. Out of total 44 tested samples, five were sickle cell carriers (HbAS), one was heterozygous HbAJ and the another one was homozygous for HbE while remaining other were normal genotypes i.e. HbAA. In brief, a case of homozygous Hemoglobin E from Kurmi caste of other backward community (OBC) and a different heterozygote pattern, i.e. Hb AJ from Brahmin community is reported from Durg, Chattisgarh, Central India. This study provides possible indication of variation of different abnormal hemoglobins, other than HbS, present in the tribal state of Chhattisgarh.

Antiplasmodial activity of traditional polyherbal remedy from Odisha, India: Their potential for prophylactic use

ObjectiveTo evaluate the potential prophylactic activity of traditional polyherbal remedy against malaria. MethodsA traditional polyherbal remedy against malaria from Odisha, India was evaluated for its potential prophylactic activity using in vitro hepatic cell lines assay and the murine malaria system Plasmodium yoelii yoelii/Anopheles stephensi. ResultsThe polyherbal extract inhibited the Plasmodium yoelii hepatic stages in vitro (IC50 0.74 mg/mL), a therapeutic index of 9.54. In mice treated with the aqueous extract (2000 mg/kg/day), peak parasitaemia values were 81% lower in the experimental 2.35% ± 0.14% as compared to controls 12.62% ± 0.52% (P < 0.001), suggesting significant prophylactic activity. ConclusionsThe observations provide a proof of concept for a traditional malaria prophylactic remedy used by tribal populations in India.

Haemoglobinopathies in tribal populations of India.

Haemoglobinopathies particularly haemoglobin S and E (HbS, HbE) and β-thalassaemia are important challenges for tribal populations in India. The HbS, HbE and β-thalassaemia genes are variably distributed across various tribal populations of India. HbE is mainly restricted in tribals of North-East, West Bengal, Odisha and those in Andaman and Nicobar islands. HbS has more extensive distribution in the country (10-40% trait frequency) and the homozygotes and double heterozygotes present with a wide array of morbidities. The morbidity varies greatly in different areas of the country due to differential co-inheritance of α-thalassaemia gene and interaction of various epistatic and environmental factors. Though substantial data on prevalence of these disorders exist, there is an urgent need to develop integrated hierarchical core facilities to manage the disease. Such centres will generate more data and will also explore areas of management which need more local attention. Newborn screening, genetic counselling, carrier detection, prenatal diagnosis along with management of cases should form the basic infrastructure of haemoglobinopathy management. Research in this areas should continue focusing on various challenges in care delivery, prevention and basic sciences on interaction of haemoglobinopathies with various other infections.