TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1988//
TI  - Illness behaviour in Sri Lanka: results of a survey in two Sinhalese communities
JO  - Social science and medicine (1982)
A1  - Wolffers, I.
SP  - 545
EP  - 552
VL  - 27
IS  - 5
N2  - Although cosmopolitan medicine plays an increasingly important role in developing countries, people still use indigenous medicines. A 1983 survey in two Sinhalese communities in Sri Lanka investigated the patients' use of cosmopolitan or traditional treatments for various illnesses. It appears that for acute complaints, or when a child seems seriously ill, people use cosmopolitan medicine. For common ailments which are known to be self-limiting, people use traditional home remedies and consult Ayurvedic practitioners. In chronic complaints some patients use cosmopolitan medicine, while others prefer the Ayurvedic system or use both kinds of medicine. For a 'snakebite' or a 'fracture' people prefer the local specialists and for mental illnesses they consult the adura and Buddhist clergy; as a last resort they turn to the cosmopolitan facility. Ayurvedic medicine does not play a role of any importance in the treatment of mental disease. The aduras in the rural areas and the Buddhist monks and priests in the more urban areas have a clear function in the management of mental disease. Institutionally trained Ayurvedic practitioners have a less clear function, since they often dispense cosmopolitan medicines.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0277-9536
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -