A qualitative study on the perceptions toward illness and modern health care among Indigenous people in Peninsular Malaysia

Due to the low utilization of modern health care among the Indigenous population, this qualitative study aims to explore their perceptions toward illness and modern health care. We employed fieldwork and interviewed 26 Indigenous participants in Malaysia. Through consensus thematic analysis, the transcripts were coded into four domains—type of illnesses encountered, explanations for illnesses, help-seeking methods, and determinants of health care seeking. We found that flu and cold symptoms were the most common type of illness experienced by the suburban group, while somatic pain and discomfort were more common among the rural group. Lifestyle-related explanation was widely adopted by the suburban group in attributing their illnesses, whereas the rural group was more likely to endorse spiritual and unknown explanations. While they utilized both modern health care and traditional healing methods, multiple ecological factors were key determinants in utilization of medical services, providing strong implications for the Indigenous health care practice in the Global South.