Community-based approach to combat micronutrient deficiencies among irular tribal women: An education intervention

This study aims to examine the impact of educational intervention on the micronutrient status of the tribal women (n = 714, 15–60 years) in 15 hamlets of Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, by census sampling method. Self-structured pretested questionnaires, participatory learning methods, and focus group discussions were adopted to record the background information (anthropometry, clinical signs of micronutrient deficiency, hemoglobin, and dietary assessments). Even though there was no increase in body mass index (BMI), there was a significant change in age, income, and BMI with hemoglobin levels. Impact analysis showed significant behavior change in the utilization of locally available micronutrient-rich foods, improved access to supplements, and dietary diversity. Sustained attempts to educate tribal women proved to be effective in attaining their nutritional security and in the families.
Source: Indian Journal of Public Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Source Type: research