Abstract
In several societies, culture-specific models of health co-exist with modern science-based medicine, and influence the way people manage their health. When people from such communities immigrate elsewhere, they often continue to retain their traditional health beliefs and practices. If national health programs are not inclusive of this phenomenon, then they are likely to fail in reaching their goals of healthcare for all. This chapter begins by tracing the beliefs and treatments in healthcare systems prevalent in different regions around the world. In the Indian subcontinent community, systems of traditional codified medicine such as Ayurveda and Siddha continue to influence peoples’ health related decisions. The chapter continues with descriptions of the findings from case studies conducted in the region of south India on mothers’ reasoning about childhood malnutrition, which is one of the major problems influencing child health. The relevance of the findings are then contextualized within a larger framework of understanding human health behavior, planning appropriate theory based interventions, including the use of technological support.
Keywords
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We wish to thank Courtney Denton for her assistance with reviewing and editing the final document.
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Glossary
- Local dialect
-
English/Botanical
- Agni
-
Bioenergy
- Ahara
-
Diet
- Akash/Veli
-
Space
- Apya/Neer
-
Water
- Dhopam
-
Herbal smoke
- Dosha
-
Humor
- Ennai
-
Oil
- Ennai kataradhu
-
Application of oil in the eye
- Idli
-
Traditional steamed preparation using rice and lentil
- Jangamam
-
Animal products
- Kachal
-
Fever
- Kanai kachal
-
Primary complex
- Kanmalar
-
Silver replica of the eye
- Kapha/Kapham
-
One of the three humors (water + earth)
- Karimalai
-
Night blindness responding to meat
- Karpan
-
A skin condition
- Kayamarundu
-
A herbal preparation
- Keevanalli
-
A herb
- Kodal
-
Intestine
- Kaajal
-
Traditional eye cosmetic
- Malaikan
-
Night blindness
- Mandham
-
Gastro-intestinal problems in children
- Mantras
-
Sacred words
- Nadiyarvattai
-
Tabernae Montana Coronaria
- Neermulli
-
A herb
- Nonjan
-
Local terminology for child with marasmus
- Omam
-
Trachyspermum ammi
- Oramarundhu
-
A herbal preparation
- Oushadha
-
Drugs and therapies
- Panchamahabhootas
-
The five gross elements of the universe
- Perali
-
Green diarrhoea in children
- Perali ennai
-
Oil extracted from herbs
- Pitha/pitham
-
One of the three humors (fire)
- Poduthalai
-
Lippia nodiflora
- Prithvi/Mann
-
Earth
- Puradhasathu
-
Protein nourishment
- Pu viyundiruku
-
Local terminology for Bitot spots
- Pathya
-
Proper diet
- Rasam
-
Nutrients
- Rathasokai
-
Local terminology for Anemia
- Sangellai
-
A herb
- Savalai
-
Local terminology for child with symptoms of Kwashiorkor
- Sokai
-
Cirrhosis of the liver
- Sambrani
-
Benzoin resin
- Teja/Thee
-
Fire
- Therai
-
A kind of toad/A condition in children in which child resembles a kind of toad
- Therai coconut
-
Coconut with a soft interior and a distinct odour.
- Thodam/dosham
-
Effect of touch/effect of evil spirit
- Thokam
-
Condition caused by something obstructing the intestine
- Thaavaram
-
Herbal products
- Thaatu
-
Metals and minerals
- Tulsi
-
Ocimum sanctum
- Vayu/katru
-
Air
- Vata/vatam
-
One of the three humors (space + air)
- Vepaellai
-
Neem leaves
- Vihara
-
Practices
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Sivaramakrishnan, M., Patel, V.L. (2017). Models of Health Beliefs in South India: Impact on Managing Childhood Nutritional Illnesses. In: Patel, V., Arocha, J., Ancker, J. (eds) Cognitive Informatics in Health and Biomedicine. Health Informatics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51732-2_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51732-2_5
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