Health Care Seeking Behaviour Among the Tangsa Women of Tinsukia District of Assam: A Micro Study.

Abstract

The tribal people are more tradition bound and have poorer health indicators and limited access to healthcare services. However, with changing time and continuous effort of the government, they are now in a transitional phase between traditional and modern healthcare practices. This article attempts to explore context, reasons, and options behind the health-seeking behavior of the Tangsa (Hill Tribe) women of Margherita sub-division of Tinsukia district, Assam, along with their access to the public healthcare services. Using both simple random and purposive sampling method, primary data were collected in the field from the married women, adolescent girls, and mothers who have girl child of 0–9 years of age from two Tangsa villages, namely Kharangkong and Hassak. Data were collected using standard field methods, for example, observation, survey schedule, interview, semi-structured and open- ended questionnaires, case study, and participatory tools such as focused group discussion (FGD). The findings indicate that Tangsa women generally prefer traditional healing practices to cure many of the common diseases. But a portion of women ranging from 42 to 74 percent received the benefits from different government health schemes related to reproductive health. Institutional delivery is gradually increasing, but iron and folic acid (IFA) intake by pregnant women and adolescent girls is still very poor. The public health department should make more effort to increase the level of awareness and knowledge among the tribal women about the benefits that can be availed from various schemes and modern healthcare services.