Cultural Correlates of Tribal Health

About the Book Cultural Correlates of Tribal Health looks at the health of the tribals, more from their cultural point of view i.e., whether the tribals attach more importance to their cultural values than any other external factors which are not parts of their culture perse.

The research work of the study was spread over four states-Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Orissa, covering 1,642 households, drawn from 16 tribal groups in Andhra Pradesh, 8 in Gujarat, 4 in Maharashtra and 10 in Orissa.

The notable findings of the study suggest that the cultural attributes of the tribals have great influence on some aspects of health while external factors on other aspects.

A very useful book for those interested in the health status of the tribals and also for those who work for the welfare of the tribals.

About the Author Dr. A.B. Hiramani, a Master of Public Health from Columbia University, New York, also holds a Doctorate in Sociology. He is Director in the Ministry of Welfare, Government of India. As the Head of the Research and Evaluation Division of the Central Health Education Bureau of the Directorate General of Health Services, Govern ment of India for a considerably long number of years, Dr. Hiramani had guided and conducted a number of research studies in the field of health and health education. He served as WHO Consultant in Primary Health Care to Indonesia.

Dr. Hiramani, one of the leading behavioral scientists in the country, has authored several books on subjects of health, health education, health education planning, research and training, besides publication of innumerable articles on these subjects in national and international journals of repute.

Preface Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes together constitute a quarter of India's population; and Scheduled Tribes alone are 8.6 percent. The latter group, though are not subjected to the stigma of untouchability as in the case of Scheduled Castes, are underprivileged owing to their most economic backwardness, low literacy, utter poverty and their habitat which, barring the tribal groups of north-eastern States, is in inaccessible remote and forest areas. Their distribution other than in north-eastern region is uneven, representing different nomenclature and cultural traits.

The Constitution of India provides for a overall socio economic development of Scheduled Tribes and for preventing their exploitation by non-tribal groups of society. Under Article 46 of the Constitution, the State and the Central Government are required to promote with special care the educational and economic interest of the weaker sections; and in particular of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and protect them from social injustice and forms of exploitation. To meet the Constitutional obligations, the State and the Central Government have developed the TRIBAL SUB-PLAN (TSP) strategy during the Fifth Five Year Plan with twin objectives of (I) bringing socio-economic development, and (ii) protecting them from all forms of exploitation. The strategy from Fifth Five Year Plan onwards yielded results due to heavy investments in the tribal areas. Significant success was achieved in some of the areas of development such as economic development, literacy, communication, civil supplies etc.

**Contents and Sample Pages**