Title: Awareness on mental illness among adults of Tharu community in Nepal: evidence from a cross-sectional study

Authors: Ranjana Koirala; Tilarupa Bhattarai

Addresses: Tribhuvan University, Maharajgung Nursing Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal ' Tribhuvan University, Maharajgung Nursing Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal

Abstract: This paper aims to assess awareness on mental illness among adults of Tharu, one of the largest indigenous groups of Nepal. The dummy-based awareness index is used to measure the awareness level on mental illness and this paper adopted ordered logit regression model to check the determinant factors for awareness on mental illness among adults of Tharu. We find that 35.5% HHs have adequate, 34% HHs have moderate and 30.5% HHs have low level of awareness on mental illness. Results from ordered logit revealed that the overall odds of literacy were about five times and presence of health personnel is three times which signify better awareness among Tharu adults is possible with the increase in literacy and health personnel in the ward level. In the Tharu community literacy and presence of health personnel statistically affect and help to increase awareness level than any other statistically significant variables.

Keywords: indigenous community; mental illness; Tharu adult; awareness index; ordered logit model; Nepal.

DOI: 10.1504/IJICBM.2022.122839

International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management, 2022 Vol.26 No.1, pp.19 - 39

Received: 25 Jan 2021
Accepted: 25 Apr 2021
Published online: 13 May 2022 *

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