Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42335139›Full record

ArticlePloS one2026

Exploring perceptions towards health and child nutrition: A qualitative study among tribal mothers in Southern Karnataka.

Sowmya Pujari, Ranjitha S Shetty, Suneel C Mundkur, Elsa Sanatombi Devi, Amol Dongre, B Unnikrishnan, Sreedharan Nair

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Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Sowmya PujariDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.
Ranjitha S ShettyDepartment of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.
Suneel C MundkurDepartment of Paediatrics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.
Elsa Sanatombi DeviDepartment of Medical Surgical Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.
Amol DongreDepartment of Community Medicine, Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College, Puducherry, India.
B UnnikrishnanDepartment of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.
Sreedharan NairDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6076-3275

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMalnutrition accounts for nearly one-third of child deaths globally and continues to be a major concern in India. Despite economic progress, undernutrition remains prevalent, with one-third of children underweight and over two-thirds anemic. Within India, marginalized groups such as the Koraga tribe face greater risks due to poverty, limited healthcare access and cultural barriers that compound child health challenges. Understanding maternal perceptions is crucial to effectively address these challenges.

methodsIn-depth interviews were conducted with Koraga tribal mothers of children aged 5-10 years. Participants were selected using criterion-based purposive sampling to ensure representation across different age groups and household contexts. Interviews were audio-recorded in local languages (Tulu and Kannada), transcribed verbatim, translated into English and analysed inductively using thematic analysis with NVivo software (version 14).

resultsTwenty Koraga tribal mothers were interviewed between October 2023- March 2024. Thematic analysis revealed five major themes: evolving perceptions of health and wellbeing; nutrition beliefs and practices; hygiene and health promotion; traditional healing with modern care and barriers and community solutions. These findings highlighted key challenges such as limited healthcare access, poverty and educational constraints, while also capturing community-driven strategies including reliance on health workers and government food-schemes.

conclusionMaternal perceptions, shaped by cultural norms and socioeconomic constraints, play a critical role in influencing health and child nutrition in the Koraga community. The findings highlight the need for policy measures that integrate culturally informed nutrition education with strengthened frontline health services, alongside community-based programs involving women's self-help groups to improve health outcomes in marginalised tribal populations.

Indexed as

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeMothersAdultChildChild Nutrition DisordersChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansIndiaNutritional StatusQualitative Research

Identifiers

PMID42335139
PMCPMC13289867

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.