Health Practices and the Influence of Socio-Cultural Beliefs in Rural Punjab

Health is a universal social objective that encompasses both physical well-being and overall quality of life. To represent Punjab as whole, this study was carried out in three distinct cultural regions: Majha, Malwa, and Doaba. To choose a representative sample, four districts from each of the three zones were chosen using a multistage sampling technique. Each district’s two blocks and two villages yielded data, and each village had 20 respondents (10 SCs and 10 Non-SCs) constituting 320 respondents. The study explored factors such as home remedies, son preference, belief in stones and amulets, and gender-related hesitancy. SCs tend to depend more on home remedies due to their non-affordability. SCs have a higher belief in stones and amulets, reflecting cultural traditions and limited access to modern healthcare. Additionally, SCs show more hesitancy in consulting male doctors, particularly for gynecological concerns, underlining the importance of gender sensitive healthcare. These findings highlight the need to address cultural and access-related barriers to enhance healthcare outcomes in rural areas.