This study aims to determine the public healthcare utilization of the Irula and outline its implications for an integrated social work approach in healthcare settings.
Adopting a descriptive cross-sectional design, multi-stage hybrid sampling was used to select 116 samples from 10 Irula settlements in Chengalpattu district, India.
Study findings showed that antenatal care and intra-natal care utilization were lower than the national average for 4 of 6 indicators; healthcare delivery significantly affected child immunization (0.01**) and child spacing (0.02**); healthcare schemes (33%) were underutilized; health insurance coverage was low (41%); indirect healthcare cost was unaffordable (97%) and social determinants of health significantly affected (0.001**) health-seeking behaviour.
Against this backdrop, an integrated social work approach in healthcare is highly essential, promising and consistent towards ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being of the most vulnerable populations in line with Sustainable Development Goal-3, 2030.
