2022/01/28 by M. Roja Lakshmi, Eswarappa Kasi · 1 voice · 1 citation
Nursing · Medicine · Social Sciences · #Child Nutrition and Water Access #Global Maternal and Child Health #Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare
paper · doi:10.1177/2455328x211066193
openalex publication_date 2022/01/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
The present paper explores the cultural context of maternal and child health (MCH) care practices and beliefs of Irula tribes. It identifies the factors and analyses the pattern of their domiciliary deliveries and neonatal care among Irula, which is one of the PVTGs (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) in Tamil Nadu. The paper adopted a descriptive research design based on the pilot survey and ethnographic fieldwork. It examines the health care beliefs and practices relating to maternal and neonatal care connected with a holistic view of the Irula community’s cultural dimensions. The paper also demonstrates the factors for domiciliary deliveries, non-utilization of prevailing state’s health interventions, and incentives for maternal and child health care services among the Irulas. Keeping in view the aforementioned argument, an empirical study was carried out in six Irular settlements of Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu.