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Asia-Pacific Social Science Review

Abstract

The use of vegetarian/vegan diets as a complementary therapy for NCDs and the communication interaction between those who use these diets and their family members is the focus of this manuscript. Communication accommodation theory (CAT) forms the theoretical underpinning for the study of this subject, with qualitative research methods being the chosen methodology as it allows for the gleaning of in-depth personal experiences. In-depth interviews of 11 pairs of vegetarian/ vegan respondents who followed a vegetarian/vegan diet after being diagnosed with NCDs and their family members were conducted in Yangon. Interviews were analyzed using a content analysis matrix. Different CAT strategies used in this study are rooted in the negotiation process based on the meanings of animal and vegetable diets and family support. Although vegetarian/vegan practice is a non-traditional practice for the Myanmar family context, the cultural and religious beliefs regarding diet and negotiating behaviors influence the effectiveness of communication for health management. The use of a vegetarian/vegan diet as a complementary therapy for NCDs is a new area of study within Myanmar, especially because diets are culturally rooted within societies. Future research could focus on ethnographic participant observations of this social phenomenon.

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