Traditional Healing and Health Care Practices Among Tribal Healers in India: A Scoping Review Protocol
Suchita Singh1, Biju Soman2, Pavan Kumar Thatoju2
1Department of Communicable Disease, Indian Council of Medical Research Headquarters, New Delhi, Delhi, 110029, India.
Introduction:
India's tribal population, comprising 104.3 million people from 705 ethnic groups, faces significant health disparities, particularly in rural areas with limited access to healthcare. Traditional tribal healers serve as primary healthcare providers to tribal communities and indigenous populations, utilizing local flora, minerals, and culturally significant practices. Despite their importance, these practices are increasingly at risk due to the shift towards modern medicine. This scoping review aims to map existing literature on traditional tribal healing practices and their integration into the healthcare system, highlighting benefits, challenges, and areas for future research.
Methods:
This scoping review protocol will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and cover literature from January 2000 to May 2025. A systematic search will be conducted across key databases such as MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, ProQuest, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, Cochrane library, and gray literature sources, such as government reports and other relevant sources of information from government websites in India. Data will be extracted and analyzed to assess prevalence, geographical distribution, types of traditional healers, and their healthcare practices. The review will explore the role of healers in the community, various treatment modalities, and the integration of these practices with modern healthcare systems.
Results:
Findings will be presented in narrative, tabular, and diagrammatic formats. By mapping the available evidence, researchers can identify areas requiring further investigation and design new studies.
Conclusion:
The review will provide a comprehensive understanding of traditional tribal healer practices, emphasizing the need to safeguard indigenous knowledge and ensure the integration of best traditional healing practices into the modern healthcare system for better healthcare outcomes in tribal communities, particularly in remote areas.
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