Health and Nutritional Status of Tribal Agricultural Labourers of Wayanad District: A Critical Gender Analysis

Abstract

The present investigation has been done on the basis of qualitative and quantitative data collected from primary sources and explored the health and nutritional status of tribal agricultural labourers. Majority of the respondents from Kattunaikan and Paniya communities washed their hands irregularly, while comparatively better habit of washing hands regularly was observed among the Kurichiya. Considerable number of respondents did not take timely vaccination, more than half of the male and female agricultural labourers did not consult physician on illness, irrespective of gender, majority of the respondents used tribal medicines over modern medicines, majority of the tribal people use water drinking without boiling and only a minor section had latrine facility in their houses. There was no significant difference between the three communities in the consumption of fruits and cereals, while, majority of the respondents of the three communities, consumed vegetables on regular basis. No regular intake of milk was among the three communities. Only a minor population among the respondents consumed pulses and fish/meat regularly. The ignorance about the severity of many medical conditions and problems of affordability to modern medical facilities expose the tribal communities to health risks and eventually leading them to high morbidity and mortality situations.