In an attempt to understand the potential cause of rickets in Bangladesh, SARPV conducted a study of 70 households. The results show that diet, food preparation, sunlight exposure and breastfeeding are all major possibilities
A quick rapid assessment survey was conducted on 35 households in the ethnic groups and 35-house hold in the plain land to see the prevalence of Rickets in the tribal community. In a previous study, we have found rickets children in the plain land household.
This 35 household of the tribe has been selected randomly from two district and 7 villages and rest 35 household of the plain land has been selected nearest plain land community of the tribal community what was in our sample. Out of total 13 tribes, 7 tribes were sampled randomly from Banderban District and Cox’s Bazaar District.
After the recruitment of necessary staff, a training of 3 days was conducted in the local SARPV office at Chakaria about the purpose and procedure of the study. To identify and collect the children, the workers took the help of an identification slip to a particular place used Geographical Reconnaissance Sheets. Interview of the parents were taken and the children were examined for evidences of rickets and wherever it has been necessary a medical doctor has been taken to justify the rickets cases.
In this study we have followed our methodology and talked to the parents and also we have seen the children of the sample households and referral house holds too. In addition we met the community leaders and elder persons of the community, Social Worker of each community. We tried to know the food habit of each house hold both in tribal and plain land household (in the previous study it is found that rickets is more common in low-socioeconomic group where dry fish is commonly used.
Dry fish is preserved with some chemicals. So there might me some correlation with these two. Out of 35 tribal households we did not get any Rickets Children on the other hand and of 35 plain land houses hold we have got in the sample households 17% of rickets children and referral 11% of Rickets Children.
Major difference in the food among the tribal and plain land household it has been found that tribal people takes maximum vegetables than the Plain land household (47%). Dry fish is also less among the tribal people (26%). The tribal people in comparison to the plain land household take less chilies and spices (36%).
Finally their cooking time is less than the plain land people. Mostly tribal people eat most of the wild animal and all types sea fish, snail, snake, shark etc 100%. Another observation is that tribal people use less dress than the plain land people, it means more exposed to sunlight.
Birth spacing in tribal is more, as result children get maximum time to have the breast milk (%). It is also has been observed that tribal People spent only 6% in education, 68% to the food and to the health17% sector from their income. On the other hand Plain land people spent 57% for the food, 16% for education and for health 17%.
