Depression,
Anxiety and Stress among Nomads
Chandrakant Jamadar
Asst.Professor,Post Graduate
Department of Psychology, Maharani Arts & Commerce College for Women’s,
MYSORE.
Nomads
are known as a group of communities who use to travel place to place for
livelihood. Some are service providers
like salt traders, fortune – tellers, conjurers, Ayurvedic healers and some are
jugglers, acrobats, grindstone makers, story – tellers snake charmers, animal
doctors, tattooists, basket makers. All
throughout India the anthropologists have identified about 500 nomadic groups
in India, numbering perhaps 80 million people around 7% of the country’s
billion – plus population (Nomads in India: Proceedings of the national seminar
– by P.K. Misra).The nomadic communities in India can be broadly divided into
two groups as pastoral (A single work of art, poetry, music or drama) and
peripatetic groups, peripatetic nomads are the most neglected and discriminated
social group in India. They have lost
their livelihood because of drastic changes in transport, industries, and
production, entertainment and distribution systems.
Pastoral nomads in India are
distinguished from other nomads in India in that they breed animals and this
distinguishes them from other groups such as the salt selling people
(Lambadi). These people reside in the
Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The livestock of the pastoral include
buffaloes, sheep, goats, camels, cattle, donkeys and yarks. The pastoral groups are: Ahir is an Indian
caste. The term can be used synonymously
with Yadav, as the latter term refers to Ahirs who have identified as
Yadavs. Dhangar are a herding caste
primarily located in the Indian state of Maharashtra, Kurumbar of Southern
India is reasonably considered to belong to the same race. The word dhangar may be associated with a
term for “cattle wealth”, or be derived from the hills in which they
lived. Kurumbar are shepherds of South
India. They are indigenous people of
India, Even though they are called in different names like ‘Kurumans’,
‘Kurumba’ or ‘Kuruba’ and these names are synonyms and one and the same. They
seak Kuruman tribal Kannada language.
They God are Veerabhadra (Beera dhevaru). They celebrate the God by breaking coconuts
on their heads. They celebrate the God by breaking coconuts on their
heads. Their surnames are Gounder, Gowder,
Heggade, Naiker and others. They are
known as Dhangar in rest of India. Gaderia is exclusively used for the cattle
grazing community of Nortth India.
Gaderia, Charvaha, Gwala and Gujar are synonyms of herdsman. They are also known as Dhangar, Baghel or
Pal. The Gaderia are a caste of
shepherds, goat, cow herders and Blanket makers some scholars, believed that,
the name is derived from the Hindi word Gadar (Sheep) through it is debatalde
because the word Godar which means sheep is not a Hindi word it is from
Bundeli. Gavli is a postoral community
found in the states of Goa and Maharashtra in India. The word Gavli means a milkmen or herdsmen in
the Marathi language and refers to a number of communities that practice, or at
one time practiced pastoralism (agriculture, raising livestock) in Western
India. Gurjar are an ethnic group in
India, Pakistan and Afghanistan the origin of the Gurjars is uncertain, they
clean appeared in ancient North India about the time of the Huna invasions of
the region. In the 6th to 12th
Century they were primarily classed as Kshatriya and Bhrahmin and many of them
later converted to Islam during the Muslim rule in South Asia. Today the gurjars are other backward class in
some states of India. Rabari or Rewari
live throughout Rajasthan and Gujarat states in India. The word Rabari basically means the
“outsiders” because they use to do the traditional trade as time passed. The main businesses are raising cattle,
camels and goats. Rabaris are mainly
dependent on the milk profession. Other
communities like them are identified by different names in different regions of
the country like Maldhari, Dhanger and Gowda etc. Form the formation of nomads
in India to take place is due to the rise and fall of many Kingdoms, which
could be seen in the history of India.
Ethnically, those
semi-nomadic slum people are mixed cast and of multi-religious like Muslim
17.2%, Hindus 34.7%, Buddhists 46.3% and others 1.8%. Some semi-nomads have
majority of Muslim or majority of Buddhists families, while some have majority
of Hindus. In 3 to 4 semi-nomadic areas there are Christian families and it is
found that these are converted Christians. In some semi-nomads Hindus have a
small temple of some god but not everywhere. These semi-nomadic people the
Dombidas, the Silyakyatha and the Koramas don’t visit city temples. They practice
their religion mostly in their native village; they attend religious fairs and
festivals or local festivals according to their own castes and customs. Muslims
go and observe daily the prayers or Id prayers in Masjids which are open to
all. Quite few semi-nomads have two or more antagonistic faction within their
small world and these factions have become a cause of hindering their economic
development and challenge to administrators and disappointing factor even for
social workers. Unless these factions are minimized, programs such as Common
community centre, Mahila Mandal and juvenile guidance centre cannot succeed.
Hence it is a very difficult task for all agencies but with affective
co-ordination of voluntary agency, local leaders and administrators, it may be
possible. Information, education, conflicts and social distances programs of
shared living need to be emphasized.
Economically, these
semi-nomadic families that is the Dombidas, the Silyakyatha and the Koramas
spend their lives by scrap picking, children sometimes begs or steal, women
toile by working in small cottage industries for some amount of income for the
family. Their income would be 300 to 1000 rupees per month. If there are other
members who work and earn for the family then it would be an added income to
the family for their survival. They cannot improve their standard of life or
invest for the future. Some have reported little amount of savings where as
some have reported debts.
Economic
conditions of the semi-nomadic people cannot be improved if the price of food
grains, oil, fuel and vegetables are too high for their earnings, leave aside
other items such as milk, sugar and fruits which are very essential items of
diet. As long as high prices of essential food items continue to rise and these
items are not distributed through controlled shops in enough quantity, poverty
of these semi-nomadic communities will continue. Same is the condition about
clothes and clothing’s to cover. Many semi-nomadic people cannot afford to
purchase new clothes. They depend mostly on second-rate clothes, given away
clothes. Unless these basic needs are not taken care of by introducing special
distribution system, such situations are likely to continue for another many
years.
Unemployment, In
almost every family there is at least one or more than one person of working
age-groups. Although unemployed persons are not reported by all, these
community people are more in number than those reported. The cause of
unemployment are ‘service not available’; ‘failed in examination’; ‘fired or
removed from service’; ‘poverty’; ‘don’t have any skill to work’; ‘no
experience’; ‘ill health and handicap’. There is cell or bureau to maintain
records of these unemployed persons within the semi-nomads. It is rather
difficult for these poor people to get any type of employment because of their
low economic status, no credibility or nothing to impress the job-giving
agencies. When asked as to how many years are these persons unemployed, the
period reported varies from 1 year to 5 years. Some semi-nomadic families like
the Dombidas, Silyakyatha and Koramas have to wait for even more than that
period. These unemployed people are dependents, idle and as such are a nuisance
in the families rather than assistance. Even if they assist it not regarded as
valuable by other members or neighbors and as such it leads to personal
disorganization of those particular individuals.
Because
of poverty, unemployed status and humiliation these semi-nomadic communities
show poor inner containment, confidence and initiative. When they were asked as
to which work they will give priority, majority of them said ‘Government
Service’ or ‘Factory service’. As their relatives have got jobs in Industries
or in Government or similar services, they think in the same manner. These
services are secured and reliable with less work to do seem to be their
impression. Business, trade, tailoring or any kind of self-service seems to be
beyond their imagination.
If
they do not have a chance to have experience in these sources it is very
difficult to inculcate confidence, initiative and then skills required to
provide these sources. As the city grew, services of various types become the
benefits of these schemes are being enjoyed by already settled and suitable
groups of city population. Many young boys have started working as mechanics
carpenters, masons and hawkers but at a very low income. Since they work with
private owners and employers they are not paid as per minimum Wages Act. They
do not get work for the whole month also. Some are being paid piece-work wise
and as such have to remain sometimes without work.
When
asked as to which field they wish to enter, many told ‘industrial’,
‘technical’, and not ‘teaching’ or ‘professional’. The level of education and
literacy being low they could visualize and could attract themselves to
‘technical’. Unless the government provides technical education to youngster
and women of different age levels that is required for different jobs,
unemployment is going to increase into a serious issue.
Housing,
99% houses are ‘Kaccha’ built in mud, pasted with cow-dung or mud occasionally.
A house with one room has one door and one or two windows which are at a very
low height(maximum 7-8 feet) with tin roof or pram roof and in some cases big
stones are placed on it to avoid the sheets from flying during rainy season.
Bed, linen, utensils, cot, chair, cooking and sleeping are done in that one
room. For some semi-nomadic people they is no sufficient place to dry they
clothes and even take bath in open where only the four sides would be covered
and the top will be opened. The height of the bathing room of these
semi-nomadic people will be 3 to 4 feet not higher than that. Many houses were
said to be clean in the inside that is because the dust from the house was put
in the open areas and as a result the surrounding area would be polluted. Some
of these semi-nomadic communities are found to have very poor housing and
almost all live in insanitary conditions.
Sanitation and water, sanitary
latrines, as far as possible private, cheap and easy to operate attached to
underground drainage are very much needed. Not only that the sanitary latrines
have to be made available to these semi-nomadic communities, but also what is
more difficult but essential is that they have to be motivated to use these
latrines regularly and to maintain the necessary cleanliness standards. From
the point of view of environmental sanitation finding on these items are not at
all satisfactory. Water has been provided in every area of the community.
However, the public taps do not work properly sometimes and some places the
people misuse them.
Social Political Life,
most of the semi-nomadic people are silent on these matters. They are engrossed
in their daily routine and economic activity that they get tired at the end of
the day and hardly realize its relation with their life. During elections or at
the time of any issues many of these are taken to these activities by local
leaders and political party workers. Youths and local active members organize
meetings on some political and national days’ celebrations. Voluntary
organizations have adopted some semi-nomadic peoples, for their activities and
as such women, youth and sometimes children are organized to participate.
Besides these there is hardly any social and political involvement. Exposure to
other mass media such as films, T.V, Radio, books and other printed informative
material is very limited. Most of these have not found to have reached these
households to any great extent which indicates the futility of depending on the
printed word for dissemination information on health, education, addiction,
nutrition and any aspect of family welfare. When asked about dowry and
inter-caste marriage, in order to know their social awareness, it was found
that majority of families are not in favor of inter-caste marriage.
Health, in
general health services are not widely available near the semi-nomadic
communities. Utilization of health services is poor, though an attempt has been
made to find out the pattern of utilization of health service in the
semi-nomadic area. It has not been possible as to why people do not utilize
even the available resources. Majority of the semi-nomadic communities reported
that there are no ill people suffering from Asthma, T.B or even scabies which
looks deceptive. To improve community health and health status in general,
regular and preventive medical services are essential. Similarly to reduce
morbidity due to illness, it is necessary that the semi-nomadic communities
need health education and guidance about nutrition, child care, maternal health
and personal hygiene. Health guide and health post for each community like the
Dombidas, the Silyakyatha and Koramas is very important. Economic and education
level wise, these semi-nomadic people are in same level as thousand of
villages. By providing health guidance services for the family welfare and
healthy environment would help the people to have healthy living.
Child care, about
50% of these semi-nomadic peoples in the families are ignoring or having the
traditional beliefs and prejudicial practices. As such these families are not
taking care of immunizing the semi-nomadic children below 6 years against
B.C.G. Polio and T.B. About second dose is negligence, fear and non-compliance.
Recently, corporation is undertaking these programs with seriousness. What is
lacking is the on the part of the semi-nomadic communities. The main reason for
their non-corporation is due to poverty, ignorance, illiteracy, idleness,
traditional beliefs and Practices, general level of intelligence is very low
and local politics.
Education of Children, the
school attendance of school going children’s age (6-15 years) is not bad. The
semi-nomadic people have Aunganvady (nursery for kids below the age of 6 years)
which makes the children to develop an interest for education at a low
age. Mid-day meals are given to the
children. The mid-day meals programmers, nutrition-check up, health-checkup are
the programmers which need continuous follow-up.
METHODOLOGY
Statement of the problem
“DEPRESSION, ANXIETY
AND STRESS AMONG NOMADS”
Aim of the Research
The
aim of the present investigation has been to know about “Depression, Anxiety
and Stress among Nomads.”
Objectives of the study
1.
To know the depression, anxiety and
stress among Nomads.
2.
To identify the differences in
depression, anxiety and stress in different communities.
3.
To find out differences depression,
anxiety and stress in different age groups.
Hypothesis of the study
1.
There is significant relationship between depression, anxiety and stress among
Nomads.
2. There will be difference in depression,
anxiety and stress of different communities.
3.
There is significant difference in their depression, anxiety and stress in
different age groups.
Variable
·
Independent variable: Nomads Age and
Gender.
·
Dependent variable: Depression, anxiety
and stress.
Samples
The
sample comprised of total Three hundred (N=300) Nomads from different places
from Mysore district, out of which Hundred from sillekyatha (n=100) Dombidas
Hundred (n=100) and hundred from Korma (100) out of Three hundred male (n=150)
female (150).
Tools
Interview
schedule with attendant technique has been used as tool of data collection.
Technique of interviewing and observation has been used for gathering
information. Standardized toll are selected for this study through this tool
their used to measure depression, reliability and validity. The method of
testing has been of much help in holding such tests
Depression
Anxiety stress scale by Lovibond (DASS) (1995) . Internal consistency reliability coefficients
for DASS-42 items, depression, anxiety stress subscales and full scale were
found to be high with cronbach’s alphas of .89, .85, .81 and .95 respectively.
For DASS-21, these values were .79, .71, .76 and .89.
Statistical analysis
According
to the plan already prepared uni-variate and multi variate table were drawn
variables have been so arranged that definite inference regarding to presence
or absence of actual relationship as hypothesized may be drawn. In order to
arrive a different conclusions. Statistical method has been applied but greater
reliance has been placed on statistical methods. These regarded as we used the
test-mean, SD, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table: 1. showing mean, SD and F-value of
Depression of different Nomads group. (N=300).
|
Group
|
Mean
|
SD
|
F-value
|
|
Sillekyatha
|
28.07
|
2.00
|
*12.40
|
|
Dombidas
|
28.29
|
1.95
|
|
|
Korma
|
29.50
|
2.55
|
|
|
Total
|
28.62
|
2.68
|
*Significant at .000 level.
A
significant difference was observed among above three selected groups in their
mean depression score. Where F-value is 12.40 was found to be highly
significant. The mean depression score of three groups, Sillekyatha, Dombidas
and Kormas are 28.07, 28.29 and 29.50. The total mean score is 28.62
respectively. Further Scheffe’s post hoc test indicated that three groups have
depression, but the Kormas have more depression than the other two groups. All
the multiple comparisons of mean differences were found to be highly
significant at .001. Therefore, the hypothesis is accepted.
The
reason for their depression is that most of the people are unemployed,
Illiterate and lack the basic necessities in their daily life.
Graph
No. 1. Shows the graph of depression.
Table: 2.
Mean score of Anxiety among Sillekyatha, Dombidas and Korma respondent’s groups
results of ANOVA. (N=300)
|
Anxiety
|
Groups
|
Mean
|
SD
|
F-value
|
|
Sillekyatha
|
24.08
|
4.09
|
*12.78
|
|
|
Dombidas
|
24.78
|
3.95
|
||
|
Korma
|
26.83
|
3.94
|
||
|
Total
|
25.23
|
4.15
|
*Significant at .000 level.
A
significant difference was observed among the above three selected groups in
their mean score of Anxiety. Where F-value is 12.78 which shows highly
significant. The mean anxiety score of the three groups- Sillekyatha mean score
is 24.08, Dombidas mean score is 24.78 and Korma mean score is 26.83. The total
mean score is 25.23 respectively. Further Shheffe’s post hoc test indicated
that three groups have anxiety, but kormas have more anxiety than the other
three groups. All the multiple comparisons of mean difference were found to be
highly significant at .000 levels. Therefore, the hypothesis is accepted.
The
three groups have high level of anxiety, but the Kormas are more in anxiety
level compared to the other two groups. The reason for high level of anxiety is
because of low sales for their good and the materials (Bamboo) used for making
the baskets are costly. These people don’t have proper houses to stay food and
clothing. They also move from place to pace in order to sell their good as a
result these people are more prone to high level of anxiety.
Graph
No.2.shows the graph of anxiety.
Table: 3.
Mean score of Stress among Sillekyatha, Dombidas and Korma respondent’s groups
results of ANOVA. (N=300)
|
Stress
|
Group
|
Mean
|
SD
|
F-value
|
|
Sillekyatha
|
29.89
|
3.25
|
.121
|
|
|
Dombidas
|
29.96
|
2.97
|
||
|
Korma
|
30.09
|
2.45
|
||
|
Total
|
29.98
|
2.90
|
Above
table reveals the mean score for stress among the three groups, they are the
Sillekyatha mean score is 29.89; Dombidas mean score is 29.96 and the Kormas
mean score is 30.09. The total mean score is 29.98 respectively. There is no
significant difference. Hence the hypothesis is rejected.
The
three groups do not have high level of stress. The reason might be that these
three groups of nomads reside in the same area where their share the same
environment that is not all that stressful.
Graph No. 3 shows the graph of
stress.
Table: 4.
Total mean of DASS score of Sillekyatha, Dombidas and Kormas respondent’s group
results of ANOVA. (N=300)
|
DASS
|
Groups
|
Mean
|
SD
|
F-value
|
|
Sillekyatha
|
82.04
|
6.75
|
*14.45
|
|
|
Dombidas
|
83.07
|
5.70
|
||
|
Korma
|
86.40
|
5.44
|
||
|
Total
|
83.84
|
6.25
|
*Significant at .000 level.
A
significant difference was observed among the above three selected groups in
their mean score of Depression, Anxiety and Stress. Where the F-value is 14.45,
which is found to be highly significant. The mean score of Sillekyatha is
82.04, the mean score for Dombidas is 83.07 and the mean score for Kormas is
86.40. The total mean score is 83.84 respectively. The three groups have high
level of depression, anxiety and stress, but the Korma is more compared to the
other two groups. It is highly significant at .000 levels. Therefore the
hypothesis is accepted.
The
reason for high level of depression, anxiety and stress among the kormas is due
to poverty, lack of income, and for women they do not have the required
materials for cooking, problems during menstruation, child rearing and caring
the day to day routines.
Graph
No.4. Shows the graph of depression, anxiety and stress.
Table: 5.
Total DASS score of age groups among Sillekyatha, Dombidas and Kormas and the
results of ANOVA. (N=300).
|
DASS
|
Age group
|
N
|
Mean
|
SD
|
F-value
|
|
10-20
|
42
|
84.60
|
7.33
|
.487
|
|
|
21-30
|
128
|
83.95
|
6.06
|
||
|
31-40
|
84
|
83.73
|
5.95
|
||
|
40 & above
|
46
|
83.02
|
6.37
|
A
significant difference was observed among the above age group in their mean
depression, anxiety and stress score. Where the F-value is .487 which is not
significant. The mean score of the age group is 84.60, 83.95, 83.73 and 83.02
respectively. There is no significant. Therefore, the hypothesis is rejected.
Graph
No. 5. Shows the graph of DASS.
CONCLUSION
Many of
the challenges that confront nomadic communities today can be attributed to
continue caste based discrimination and alienation from settled communities.
The combination of modes technology and legislation aimed at eco-conservation
has caused the diminishment of traditional livelihood leading to widespread
impoverishment. Regional and national government have not taken measures to
address the problem of narrowing livelihood or provided support for these
communities. As a result it is found that there is depression, anxiety and
stress in different communities, age groups and gender according to the results
obtained.
1. There
is significant difference in depression, anxiety and stress among Nomads.
2. There
are significant differences in differences in depression, anxiety and stress in
different communities.
3. There
is a significant difference in depression, anxiety and stress in different age
groups.
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