TITLE

FORMAL AND INFORMAL ARTEFACTS WITH

RESPECT TO NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
AMONG TRIBES OF ATTAPADI.

INTRODUCTION
Non-communicable diseases are medical conditions or
diseases that are not caused by an infectious agent. These are
chronic diseases of long duration, are generally slow
progression, and are the result of a combination of genetic,
physiological, environmental, and behavioural factors. NCDs
are one of the major challenges of public health in the 21st
century, not only in terms of human suffering cause but also
in terms of the harm they inflict on the country's socio-
economic development. NCDs kill approximately 41 million
people (71% of global death) worldwide each year including
14 million people who die too young between the age of 30
and 70. According to the WHO projections, the total annual
number of deaths from NCDs will increase to 55 million by
2030, if timely interventions are not done to prevent and
control themNCDs. In India, nearly 5.8 million people (WHO
report, 2015) die from NCDs (heart and lung disease, stroke,
cancer, and diabetes) every year. in other work 1 One in four4
Indians have a risk of dying from NCD before they reach the
age of 70. Since In short, they are the leading cause of death
and disability through their effects on the societal, economic,
and environmental domains that affect negatively to the
sustainability of human development.
There could be Severe lack of awareness of NCD and health
promotion activities, and there is agiven the developing
burden of NCD in the rural and tribal areas. The tribal
population primarily inhabits rural and remote areas and is
among the most vulnerable and marginalized sections of the
society. Moreover, they lag behind all other social groups, in
various social, health and developmental indicators. A
systematic review of hypertension among the tribal population
in India revealed an increasing prevalence of hypertension
across decades. The Nnational Nnutritional Mmonitoring
Bbureau had done a multi-state survey among the tribal
population a decade ago which showed thatwhere the
prevalence of hypertension varied from 8% in Gujarat to 51%
in Orissa. One out of every four tribal adults suffers from
hypertension in Kerala. The major modifiable NCD risk factor
was found to be among the people of the Kani tribe compared
to the general population in Kerala.
The major modifiable NCD risk factor was found to be among
the people of the Kani tribe compared to the general
population in Kerala. One out of every four tribal adults
suffers from hypertension in Kerala. The population of
Scheduled Tribes in Kerala is 4,84,839 which is 1.45% of the
total population of Kerala. There are 36 tribal communities
which are listed as Sscheduled Ttribes in theall over 14
districts ofin Kerala. The population of scheduled tribes is
4,84,839 which is 1.45% of the total population of Kerala.
The tribal population in Kerala is concentrated mainly in
Wayanad, Kannur, Palakkad, Thiruvananthapuram,
Kasargkodu and Idukki districts. Attapadi of Palakkad district
is one of the main tribal settlements in Kerala. Attapadi is the
valley below Nilgiri hills which is part of the western ghats.
Culture is essentially a building block for constructing a
personal understanding of health and illness. Providing access
to culturally sensitive, high-quality health care is extremely
important to enhance health and wellbeing of such
marginalised sections.an essential part. In this backdrop, Iit is
very important to understand the history, culture and heritage.
and to make these cornerstones for improving the health of the
community. The cCulture iswas defined earlier as symbols,
language, beliefs, values, and artefacts that are part of society.
The artefacts are the material culture, including all the
society’s physical structure which is created by humans and
gives information about the cultureunderstanding such a
dimension is relevant in health services, an institutional
mechanism evolved to improve health of the people.