Fertility and mortality differentials among selected tribal population groups of north-western and eastern India

Selection potential based on differential fertility and mortality has been computed for six tribal groups inhabiting different gee-climatic conditions , namely: Sahariya, Mina and Bhil of the State of Rajasthan, north-western India, and Munda, Santal and Lodha of the State of West Bengal, eastern Ind ia. Irrespective of the methodology, the total index of selection was found to be highest among Lodhas (0.668), followed by Sahariyas (0.524), Santals (0.462), Bhils (0.386), Mundas (0.351) and Minas (0.334). Incidently, Lodh a and Sahariya are two of the seventy-four notified primitive tribal groups of India, and these two study populations show the highest index of total selection, mainly because of a higher embryonic and postnatal mortality. The relative contribution of the fertility component to the index of total selection is higher than the corresponding mortality component in all triba l groups. The analysis of postnatal mortality components indicates that childhood mor tality constitutes the bulk of postnatal mortality, suggesting that childre n under 5 years need better health care in these tribal groups.