The Pattern of Health-Seeking Behavior among Juang Tribe- A Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group of Odisha, India.

Introduction: Social and economic position, environment, access to healthcare, ethos, and worldview are all important determinants of people's health-seeking behavior. Tribal communities in India oscillate between their emic rationale for the cause and treatment of health concerns on the one hand and affordable modern methods on the other. The present article is based on a study conducted among the Junag tribe of Odisha to understand their acceptance and preference for traditional or modern healthcare systems and the reasons for these choices. Material and Methods: Purposive sampling, a pre-structured schedule, an observation approach, case studies, and interviews with community members have been used to gather the primary data used in the study. Result: The study identified a diverse pattern of health-seeking behavior. From the four villages, 70% of respondents combined into cluster-1 preferred the traditional healthcare system, mostly for geographical and cultural reasons, as opposed to 95% of respondents from the villages in cluster-2, who preferred modern healthcare services because they were more easily accessible and involved modern healthcare providers. Conclusion: In this research work, it has been found that the Juang tribe is in a transitional phase and uses a hybrid approach to health seeking. Moreover, it has also been discovered that important variables including cultural attitudes and the affordability of contemporary healthcare services have influenced people's decisions toward healthcare systems.

Experimental Evidence for Therapeutic Potentials of Propolis.

Propolis is produced by honeybees from materials collected from plants they visit. It is a resinous material having mixtures of wax and bee enzymes. Propolis is also known as bee glue and used by bees as a building material in their hives, for blocking holes and cracks, repairing the combs and strengthening their thin borders. It has been extensively used since ancient times for different purposes in traditional human healthcare practices. The quality and composition of propolis depend on its geographic location, climatic zone and local flora. The New Zealand and Brazilian green propolis are the two main kinds that have been extensively studied in recent years. Their bioactive components have been found to possess a variety of therapeutic potentials. It was found that Brazilian green propolis improves the cognitive functions of mild cognitive impairments in patients living at high altitude and protects them from neurodegenerative damage through its antioxidant properties. It possesses artepillin C (ARC) as the key component, also known to possess anticancer potential. The New Zealand propolis contains caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) as the main bioactive with multiple therapeutic potentials. Our lab performed in vitro and in vivo assays on the extracts prepared from New Zealand and Brazilian propolis and their active ingredients. We provided experimental evidence that these extracts possess anticancer, antistress and hypoxia-modulating activities. Furthermore, their conjugation with γCD proved to be more effective. In the present review, we portray the experimental evidence showing that propolis has the potential to be a candidate drug for different ailments and improve the quality of life.

"Sacando el frío": imágenes del ejercicio de la sobandería en el pueblo Nasa / "Taking out the cold": images of the practice of bonesettering (sobandería) in Nasa People

Objetivo: Describir la práctica de la "sobandería" en el pueblo indígena Nasa. Metodología: El autor participó en "Circulos de Palabra" y realizó entrevistas etnográficas con diversos miembros del pueblo indígena Nasa. La información así obtenida fueron consignadas como notas de diario de campo, para su posterior análisis de contenido temático. Las imágenes fotográficas fueron capturadas por el autor durante el ejercicio práctico de la "sobandería". Resultados: Se presentan de manera textual y visual aspectos generales de la "cosmovisión", el sistema de cuidado de la salud tradicional, y el ejercicio de la "sobadería" en el pueblo indígena Nasa. Conclusiones: La "sobandería" es una práctica terapéutica anclada en la "cosmovisión" del pueblo indígena Nasa. Su contextualización es necesaria en cualquier ejercicio de complementariedad terapéutica en un claro escenario de pluralismo médico.

Objective: To describe the "bonesettering" (sobandería) practices in Nasa People. Methodology: the author participate in "Word Circles" and realize ethnographic interviews to Nasa People. The data was stored as fieldnotes in a field diary, and was analyzed by content analysis technique. The photographs were captured during a bonesettering practice. Results: describe of bonesettering practices of Nasa People using textual and visual media. This practices is contextualized in "cosmovision" and traditional healthcare system. Conclusion: Bonesettering practice is a therapeutic practice culturally inmersed in "cosmovision" of Nasa People. This is relevant in the exercise of therapeutic complementarity in a context of medical pluralism.

Ethnozoology of the Karbis of Assam, India: Use of ichthyofauna in traditional health-care practices.

BACKGROUND: Traditional or folk medicine is still prevalent among the Karbis as means of primary health-care. Traditional medicine is not only a source of healing, but the practice is also an important part of their religion and culture. AIM: The aim of the present study is to discuss the use of ichthyofauna in traditional health-care practices among the Karbis and other ethnic tribes of Karbi Anglong district, Assam. SETTING AND DESIGN: Field study was undertaken from March 2011 to June 2012. A total of 75 informants were selected from 27 villages and the selection was based on their recognition as having sound knowledge relating to health-care practices. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Information was collected following both unstructured and structured interview methods, group discussions and personal observation. Fish used in health-care practices were collected with the help of local guides and identified using available literatures. RESULTS: The present study has recorded use of 14 species belonging 7 families in the treatment of 25 disease conditions. Traditional health-care practices of the Karbis include both local and oral applications and rituals to cure diseases. Use of fish to cure mental depression like symptoms locally referred as nihu kachingtung is prevalent until today. Studies among the Dimasa and Thadou tribes also revealed the use of fish in traditional medicine as therapies against different ailments, but do not use fish in rituals. CONCLUSION: Study on fish-based zootherapy could be a viable option for discovery of new compounds with therapeutic potentials. However, the attitude of the present generation towards traditional medicine as being unscientific and acculturation are the main causes of decline of such practice in the Karbis. Destructive fishing practices by poisoning water bodies with synthetic chemicals pose serious threats to aquatic fauna in the hill streams.