02462nas a2200289   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653001000054653003000064653001400094653002400108653002300132100001200155700001300167700001700180700001400197700001400211700001400225700001100239700001300250700001600263700001500279245012800294856010400422520163200526022001402158       2025                            d  c01/202510aIndia10ahealth-seeking behaviours10asnakebite10aTraditional healers10atribal populations1 aRalph R1 aRamesh R1 aJambugulam M1 aDeborah A1 aAruldas K1 aMoorthy N1 aJohn S1 aWalson J1 aZachariah A1 aAjjampur S00aHealth-seeking behaviours and traditional healer practices for snakebite in rural and tribal communities in southern India.  uhttps://academic.oup.com/trstmh/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/trstmh/trae083/61266165/trae083.pdf3 a<p><strong>Background: </strong>Nearly 60 000 Indians die of snakebite envenoming each year. Most deaths occur in rural communities and remote tribal settlements. We describe snakebite-related epidemiology and health-seeking behaviours in a rural (Timiri) and remote tribal block (Jawadhu Hills) in Tamil Nadu, India.</p>

<p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional survey used structured questionnaires for information pertaining to snakebites and their treatment in the preceding year. Treatment-seeking behaviour from the moment reported until recovery was mapped. Traditional healers residing in the two blocks were also surveyed.</p>

<p><strong>Results: </strong>Snakebite incidence and mortality were 174/100 000 population and 2.7/100 000 population in Jawadhu Hills and 194/100 000 population and 2.6/100 000 population in Timiri, respectively. More snakebite victims applied tourniquets in Jawadhu Hills (90%) than in Timiri (69%). Traditional healers were the first contact for 64% in Jawadhu Hills. Ambulances and buses were reported as unavailable in Jawadhu Hills. Traditional healers in Jawadhu Hills did not refer snakebite victims to hospitals.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Three challenges to snakebite mitigation in Indian rural and tribal communities highlighted in this study are potentially harmful first aid, a disconnect between traditional healers and the public health system and a lack of emergency transport to health facilities. Addressing these challenges would necessitate community awareness, traditional healer engagement and improved means of public transportation.</p>
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