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Description: Introduction: "In Myanmar, having a stroke is one of the common leading causes of death and constitutes 3.6% of total deaths in 2011 (Heath in Myanmar, 2013). Lay-­‐ngan-­‐yaw-­‐gar or ?wind disease” is a common chronic illness condition that impacts on socio-­‐economic life of people. Lay-­‐ngan-­‐yaw-­‐gar is the Myanmar term for neurological weakness caused by a stroke from the biomedical point of view. Biomedical perspectives explain the causes of lay-­‐ngan-­‐yaw-­‐gar (stroke) as the interruption of the blood supply to the brain, usually because a blood vessel bursts or is blocked by a clot. This cuts off the supply of oxygen and nutrients, causing damage to the brain tissue (WHO, 2014). Unlike biomedical explanation, causes of lay-­‐ngan-­‐yaw-­‐gar are explained in several different ways in the traditional medical sector in Myanmar. Different disciplines of traditional medical systems explain differently the cause of lay-­‐ngan-­‐yaw-­‐gar. Based on Ayurveda concepts, lay-­‐ngan-­‐yaw-­‐gar is due to an imbalance of wind, phlegm and bile which creates ill-­‐health conditions in lay knowledge while Buddhist perspectives explains the causes of lay-­‐ngan-­‐yaw-­‐gar from the point of ?Karma”, the act of an individual in the past or present life. Astrological perspectives describe the cause of lay-­‐ngan-­‐yaw-­‐gar from the calculations of zodiac of stars, planets and the time of birth and age (Heath in Myanmar, 2013). Therefore, different schools of thought produces diverse views on lay-­‐ngan-­‐yaw-­‐gar in Myanmar. Al though stroke is a common public health issue in Myanmar, the majority of studies conducted have focus on biomedical aspects of stroke and viewed mainly from the point of view of the biomedical perspective. This study will fill the knowledge gap on understanding how people in rural villages of Bago with lay-­‐ngan-­‐yaw-­‐gar seek medical attention based on their worldview and will explore different perspectives from the community in relation to the traditional health sector.".....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015.
Creator/author: Aung Zaw Moe
Source/publisher: International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update: 2015-08-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 1.11 MB
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