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Keywords Health · Orang Asli · Disease · Mortality · Natality
Introduction
Health is the most crucial element of well-being for societies in this modern world.
The transition from an agricultural economy to industrialised nation has transformed the culture, jobs, lifestyle and disease patterns in societies. Technological
advancement, along with development growth, is occuring at different paces as
some countries developed faster than others. This phenomena is ongoing and continues to manifest itself in Malaysia. Since independence in 1957, Malaysia has
experienced robust socio-economic development. However, this has not brought the
same overall effects on the health and lifestyle of the Orang Asli compared to mainstream society. According to the United Nations (2009), health disparities between
the Orang Asli and other races are wide. In the past, the natives did not receive good
healthcare and they still suffered from common diseases that are easily treatable
with modern medicine. Nicholas et al. (2010), looking at Malaysia as a whole,
stated that although there have been significant improvements in population health
since 1957, the overall health status of the Orang Asli has been left behind to a certain degree. Nutritional deficiencies, helminthic infections, malaria and tuberculosis
continue to afflict the community persistently.
Education and belief are factors that guide behaviours in maintaining good
health. The Orang Asli strongly embrace their ancestral traditions, believing that all
actions will affect their everyday life, marriage and economic activities. According
to Chen et al. (1979), there the Orang Asli have lots of taboo that may affect their
health. For example, in the Temuan sub-tribe, pregnant women are not allowed to
eat red fish to avoid miscarriage. They are prohibited from going into the forest if
they did not dream of their ancestors, and only certain animals can be hunted for
food (Sam and Aminah 2015).
The government’s approach on Orang Asli healthcare involves campaigns to prevent illnesses and encourage the sick to seek treatment and rehabilitation. It differs
from modern practices that are integral and more holistic. According to the World
Health Organisation (1986), traditional health concept of natives includes the entire
body of ideas, beliefs, myths and rituals that connect to the maintenance of health
or health restoration through the treatment of physical and mental illness, or social
imbalance in a particular individual, community or people. This documents the
importance of education and the availability of medical practitioners.
Compared to the other ethnic groups, the Orang Asli are socio-economically
poor, hence their health and nutritional problems are always poverty-related. There
is high prevalence of malnutrition due to inadequate dietary intake and diseases,
besides inappropriate beliefs and practices that adversely affects health (Zalilah and
Tham 2002; Khor 1988; Norhayati et al. 1995; Osman and Zaleha 1995; Osman
et al. 1991). The Orang Asli diet is highly dependent on forest produce and seasonal
M. F. Abdullah et al.
Keywords Health · Orang Asli · Disease · Mortality · Natality
Introduction
Health is the most crucial element of well-being for societies in this modern world.
The transition from an agricultural economy to industrialised nation has transformed the culture, jobs, lifestyle and disease patterns in societies. Technological
advancement, along with development growth, is occuring at different paces as
some countries developed faster than others. This phenomena is ongoing and continues to manifest itself in Malaysia. Since independence in 1957, Malaysia has
experienced robust socio-economic development. However, this has not brought the
same overall effects on the health and lifestyle of the Orang Asli compared to mainstream society. According to the United Nations (2009), health disparities between
the Orang Asli and other races are wide. In the past, the natives did not receive good
healthcare and they still suffered from common diseases that are easily treatable
with modern medicine. Nicholas et al. (2010), looking at Malaysia as a whole,
stated that although there have been significant improvements in population health
since 1957, the overall health status of the Orang Asli has been left behind to a certain degree. Nutritional deficiencies, helminthic infections, malaria and tuberculosis
continue to afflict the community persistently.
Education and belief are factors that guide behaviours in maintaining good
health. The Orang Asli strongly embrace their ancestral traditions, believing that all
actions will affect their everyday life, marriage and economic activities. According
to Chen et al. (1979), there the Orang Asli have lots of taboo that may affect their
health. For example, in the Temuan sub-tribe, pregnant women are not allowed to
eat red fish to avoid miscarriage. They are prohibited from going into the forest if
they did not dream of their ancestors, and only certain animals can be hunted for
food (Sam and Aminah 2015).
The government’s approach on Orang Asli healthcare involves campaigns to prevent illnesses and encourage the sick to seek treatment and rehabilitation. It differs
from modern practices that are integral and more holistic. According to the World
Health Organisation (1986), traditional health concept of natives includes the entire
body of ideas, beliefs, myths and rituals that connect to the maintenance of health
or health restoration through the treatment of physical and mental illness, or social
imbalance in a particular individual, community or people. This documents the
importance of education and the availability of medical practitioners.
Compared to the other ethnic groups, the Orang Asli are socio-economically
poor, hence their health and nutritional problems are always poverty-related. There
is high prevalence of malnutrition due to inadequate dietary intake and diseases,
besides inappropriate beliefs and practices that adversely affects health (Zalilah and
Tham 2002; Khor 1988; Norhayati et al. 1995; Osman and Zaleha 1995; Osman
et al. 1991). The Orang Asli diet is highly dependent on forest produce and seasonal
M. F. Abdullah et al.