A knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) survey is a
representative study of a specified population
in order to assess the extent and collect
information on range of one's understanding,
positive, negative or neutral attitude and
action or a behaviour with regard to a
particular topic – in this case minor illness
(WHO, 2008). KAP surveys have been widely used
to gather information for planning public health
programmes in countries over the Nation
(Launiala, 2009).
As noticed, studies on minor illness in worldwide have
always been on the diseases themselves – diagnosis,
signs and symptoms, preventive measures and
treatment. Hardly any study has been done on the
knowledge, attitudes and practices aspects of the
minor illness amongst Orang Asli. Henceforth, a KAP
study would best complement this unexplored area of
research. Indigenous people’s knowledge, attitudes
and practices regarding minor illness have a strong
influence on their decision to seek treatment,
health care, modern medicines, etc.
The influences could be positive, negative or
neutral and have an ultimate impact on the success
of the health programs implemented in the community.
Again there is increasing recognition within the
international aid community that improving the
health of indigenous people across the world depends
upon adequate understanding of the socio-cultural
and economic aspects of the context in which public
health programmes are implemented (Launiala, 2009).
It is presumed there is an
a prior hypothesis that the modernised Orang Asli settlement in
Malaysia is a community of indigenous population in
the state of transition from the traditional health
paradigm to the modern one.
There is always resistance to change in this
process with regard to modern style of healthy
living (Chee et al., 2010).
The Malaysian government, through its Jabatan
Orang Asli, has been the main assertive authority in
this hurried communal modernisation and
transformation process – the work is piece meal,
paying minimal attention to the necessity of a
gradual absorption by creating community-owned
solutions.
The Orang Asli’s were “forced” out of their
tribal homeland for economic and political reason
and kept in non-sustainable settlements as if by
decree (Bear, 2006). Medical practice is enforced
for good in the community but the knowledge,
attitude and practice suffer a cultural shock to
meet this sudden change into contemporary civilized
people.
According to United Nations Social Development Network
(UNSDN), in one of its postings: Development and
Indigenous Peoples: Creating Community-owned
Solutions, Posted by UNSDN
on August 14, 2013, it is said:
“Perhaps the most well-worn cliché in the field of
development is the saying “Give a man a fish, and
you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish,
and you feed him for a lifetime.”
(Remark: Did we really practise this noble
principle without any ulterior motive of exploiting
their ancestors' land or cheap labor for big
profit?)
Experts come in and ‘teach’ the Orang Asli community
how to find solutions to their minor illness
problems, remove their taboos and change for their
own good. This would be perfectly acceptable if
these ideas were then appropriated absorbed by the
community, adapted to their aims and aspirations,
institutions and customs (taboos), to become
community owned health solutions. However, these
expert-led, top-down approaches normally from the
governmental bodies often leave very little
opportunity for Orang Asli communities to speak up
and demonstrate that the best solutions often come
from within the Orang Asli communities themselves.
From this standpoint, our research team will design a
survey and program of implementation that takes into
consideration to provide opportunities for this
appropriation (absorption) by encouraging them to
speak out aloud during the one-on-one, friendly and
participative interviews over a period. It is hope
that all the information, data gathered and the
report from this KAP survey would become useful
reference or support for medical, psychological and
social workers who wish to help the indigenous
population in future.
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SOURCE: WPAMB
