While still in medical school in Vienna, I have written an essay on marasmus in young infants in India and Pakistan. During my research I found a very suggestive study published by Dorothy Mull in 1991.150 mothers of under-5 year old malnourished children were interviewed in Karachi. A photograph of a marasmic child was shown to the mothers and they were asked for their opinion. Two thirds of the women described severe marasmus as „sukhay ki bimari“ (Urdu), „the disease of dryness and thinness“, and the remaining third wasn‘t entirely sure, but also tended to the above description.Most mothers believed that „sukhay ki bimari“ was caused by a “saya“, a shadow or influence thrown on the child or the mother by an „unclean woman“, rather than relating it to a lack of food.Further, more than two thirds of the mothers questioned suggested traditional therapies for „sukhay ki bimari“. Only a few mothers chose taking their children to a professional doctor.
I think it would be very interesting to do a qualitative interview study in the same region again to see whether traditional perceptions of marasmus still exist or whether they changed in the last 20 years.
Research Question: Do traditional perceptions of marasmus still exist or have they changed and why did they change?
Target group: 100 mothers of malnourished children
Questions:
How often do you feed your child?
Do you think your child is healthy?
What does your diet look like?
How often do you eat fruit or vegetables?
How do you prepare your food?
Of what disease suffers the child on the photography (I also want to show them a photograph of a marasmic child)?
How would you try treating this disease?
If your child suffered from this disease would you go to a medical doctor?
What do you think causes this disease?
Do you think this disease is caused by a lack of food?
Has someone explained to you the cause of this disease?
