Chowdhury Arabinda N, Mondal Ranajit, Brahma Arabinda, Biswas Mrinal K
Professor and Head.
Environ Health Insights. 2008 Sep 12;2:61-76. doi: 10.4137/ehi.s935.
This study attempts to examine the extent and impact of human-animal conflicts visa-vis psychosocial stressors and mental health of affected people in two villages adjacent to Sundarban Reserve Forest (SRF) in the Gosaba Block, West Bengal, India.
Door to door household survey for incidents of human-animal conflicts, Focus Group Discussions, In-depth Interviews, Case studies, Community Mental health clinics and participatory observation.
A total of 3084 households covering a population of 16,999 were surveyed. 32.8% people live on forest-based occupation. During the last 15 years 111 persons (male 83, female 28) became victims of animal attacks, viz, Tiger (82%), Crocodile (10.8%) and Shark (7.2%) of which 73.9% died. In 94.5% cases the conflict took place in and around the SRF during livelihood activities. Tracking of 66 widows, resulted from these conflicts, showed that majority of them (51.%) are either disabled or in a very poor health condition, 40.9% are in extreme economic stress and only 10.6% remarried. 1 widow committed suicide and 3 attempted suicide. A total of 178 persons (male 82, female 96) attended the community mental health clinics. Maximum cases were Major Depressive Disorder (14.6%), followed by Somatoform Pain Disorder (14.0%), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder-animal attack related (9.6%) and Adjustment Disorder (9%). 11.2% cases had history of deliberate self-harm attempt, of which 55% used pesticides.
Improvement of quality of life of this deltaic population by appropriate income generation and proper bio-forest management are the key factors to save their life as well as the mangrove environment of the Sundarban region.
本研究试图考察印度西孟加拉邦戈萨巴区孙德尔本斯保护区森林（SRF）附近两个村庄中，人与动物冲突的程度及其对受影响人群心理社会压力源和心理健康的影响。
通过挨家挨户的家庭调查了解人与动物冲突事件，进行焦点小组讨论、深入访谈、案例研究、社区心理健康诊所调查及参与式观察。
共调查了3084户家庭，覆盖人口16999人。32.8%的人以森林相关职业为生。在过去15年里，111人（男性83人，女性28人）成为动物袭击的受害者，即老虎（82%）、鳄鱼（10.8%）和鲨鱼（7.2%）袭击，其中73.9%的受害者死亡。在94.5%的案例中，冲突发生在生计活动期间的SRF内或周边地区。对因这些冲突产生的66名寡妇的跟踪调查显示，她们中的大多数（51%）要么残疾，要么健康状况极差，40.9%处于极度经济压力中，只有10.6%再婚。1名寡妇自杀，3人企图自杀。共有178人（男性82人，女性96人）前往社区心理健康诊所就诊。最多的病例是重度抑郁症（14.6%），其次是躯体形式疼痛障碍（14.0%）、与动物袭击相关的创伤后应激障碍（9.6%）和适应障碍（9%）。11.2%的病例有故意自残企图史，其中55%使用农药。
通过适当的创收和合理的生物森林管理来改善这一三角洲地区人口的生活质量，是拯救他们的生命以及孙德尔本斯地区红树林环境的关键因素。
