Substance Use and Mental Health Among a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group in Karnataka: Prevalence and Associated Determinants from a Household Survey

Introduction Substance use, such as alcohol and tobacco, is notably greater among tribal populations than among the general population, with their distinct socioeconomic and cultural factors influencing their substance use. Owing to their severe socioeconomic marginalization, the Koraga tribe, which is classified as a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG), is reported to have a high prevalence of substance use. However, there have been no systematic efforts to document the extent of SUD within this community, mainly due to the challenges in establishing contact with them. This study aims to address this gap by conducting a household survey to systematically assess the prevalence of SUD among this tribal population. Methodology A cross-sectional population-based household survey was conducted among four taluks of the Udupi district, Karnataka, India. Twelve tribal hamlets from the four taluks were identified, and all the households in those colonies were visited for data collection. All the adults from each household were eligible, and 401 participated in the study. The modified BG Prasad scale; the alcohol, smoking, and substance involvement screening test (ASSIST); and the Patient Health Questionnaire screening tools were used for data collection. The data were analyzed via JAMOVI 2.6.19. Results Thirteen percent of the participants had used alcohol in their lifetime. Similarly, 16.7% of the participants used tobacco, and 5.2% used both substances. An increase in age, being male, and having a lower socioeconomic status increased the risk of substance use among the study population. Among all the participants, 2% were screened positive for moderate depressive symptoms, and 1.7% were screened positive for severe depressive symptoms. In addition, 1.2% reported having moderate anxiety symptoms, and 2.5% reported having medium levels of somatic symptoms. Conclusion Culturally sensitive and community-led documentation may provide a more accurate account of the level of substance use among this tribal population.