Type 2 Diabetes and Mental Health
We study the relationships between type 2 diabetes, women’s gendered social roles, and mental health in North India. We measure people’s beliefs, behaviors, and biological states to obtain a holistic picture of how illness states arise from and respond to social conditions, with a particular focus on women’s roles and relationships within their families. This work involves collaborations with Dr. S.V. Madhu, members of the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India, and Emily Mendenhall at Georgetown University.
Some key findings of the research:
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Hear Dr. Weaver read from and discuss her book on the research on an episode of the podcast Sausage of Science.
Coping Strategies for Distress
We also study North and South Indian women’s coping strategies for distress, and the words, phrases, and syndromes they use to talk about distress in everyday contexts. This colloquial language, referred to as idioms of distress, can help us better address common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety in places where psychiatric care is either limited or highly stigmatized. This work is an ongoing collaboration with the Public Health research Institute of India.
Some key findings of this research:
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Dr. Weaver has discussed this research with Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry.