Perceptions of Febrile Illness among Local People Living in Malaria Endemic villages in Central Hill Region of Nepal

Authors

  • C B Budhathoki Reader in Health Education at Central Department of Education, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v5i0.6359

Keywords:

Perceptions, fever, malaria, typhoid, febrile illness

Abstract

Objective of this paper is to explore the perceptions of febrile illness among people living in malaria endemic areas of hill region. Qualitative data were collected from malaria endemic villages in Mahadevesthan VDC of Kavrepalanchok district through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Local people perceive febrile illnesses as common health problem. They classified febrile illnesses into sardi ko jwaro, dokh, lagu/laganiko jwaro and aulo jwaro. Fever occurring after engaging in heavy physical work is described as dagdi. Severe and complicated form of fever is interpreted as dokh in cultural meaning and typhoid as biomedical concept. Febrile illness which does not respond to biomedicine, but it is relieved by traditional ritual healing is labeled as lagani ko jwaro. Malaria fever is locally known as aul or aulo jwaro. People often avoid certain food such as sour curd, meat, egg, oily and spicy food during fever to prevent it from resulting in dokh (complicated fever). Herbal home remedy is rarely used in febrile illness. Now a day, local people interpret dokh as typhoid and aulo as malaria fever and seek medical treatment from local health institutions and private practitioners. Local perceptions of febrile illnesses such as dokh and aulo overlap with the biomedical concepts of typhoid and malaria fever due to interaction with both traditional healers and health care providers.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v5i0.6359

Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 5, 2011: 121-42


 

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Author Biography

C B Budhathoki, Reader in Health Education at Central Department of Education, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu

Budhathoki (Magar), Chitra Bahadur is Reader in Health Education at Central Department of Education, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. He has PhD in Community Health from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. He has been involved in teaching and research in Health Education, Community and Social Health for last 15 years. He has completed several research projects in his field of interest. Currently, he is an Awardee of Harka Gurung Fellowship, Social Inclusion Research Fund (SIRF) for doing research project entitled: 'Socioeconomic Status and Access Barriers to Health Services in Kushbadiya Community'. He has published several research articles in national journals including 'Socioeconomic Condition of Highly Marginalized Indigenous Peoples in Nepal: A Case of Indigenous Surel" in Readings on Indigenous Culture and Knowledge (Culture and Developemnt in Nepal Series-I) in December 2010. Besides, he has authored several reference books for Bachelors and Masters' Degree in Health Education.

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Published

2012-06-20

How to Cite

Budhathoki, C. B. (2012). Perceptions of Febrile Illness among Local People Living in Malaria Endemic villages in Central Hill Region of Nepal. Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, 5, 121–142. https://doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v5i0.6359

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