title: Herbal medicines for diabetes control among Indian and Pakistani migrants with diabetes.
abstract: Drawing on data collected during a 16-month ethnographic investigation, this paper explores practices around Indians' and Pakistanis' use of herbal medications for diabetes control. The ethnographic study was conducted among Indian and Pakistani migrants in Edinburgh, Scotland and included extended participant observation, six group discussions and 21 semi-structured interviews. Respondents showed great resistance in adhering to medication prescriptions for diabetes control due to their various side effects, especially within the stomach. In order to avoid such side effects, respondents decreased medication dosage and turned to non-allopathic remedies that usually consisted of herbal medications that, according to Indians and Pakistanis, did not cause side effects as medications did and tackled the cause of the disease rather than its symptoms. Such remedies however, were not only combined with allopathic ones but also eventually replaced without the doctor's consultation.
authors.affiliation: a University of Edinburgh , School of Social and Political Sciences, Social Anthropology , Edinburgh , UK.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Porqueddu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D060432:Anthropology, Medical; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000208:ethnology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012606:Scotland; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D028321:Plant Preparations
keywords: Diabetes; Indian migrants; Pakistani migrants; chronic disease; medical pluralism; self-management