Living Illness, Navigating Advice: An Exploratory Study of the Lived Experience of Patients Engaging with Lifestyle Counselling in Paramaribo, Suriname

Abstract

This thesis explores how patients in Paramaribo, Suriname, experience and engage with lifestyle counselling for chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. The study employs a qualitative, medical anthropological lens to examine how social stigma, cultural norms, and interpersonal relationships shape responses to lifestyle advice. Through semistructured interviews with patients and healthcare workers, four key themes emerged: stigma surrounding illness, the dual role of the social environment, negotiation between professional and informal advice, and a widespread reluctance to use medication in favour of traditional remedies. The case study of a nurse practitioner illustrates how a relational approach, personalized communication, and patient-centred education can foster trust and behavioural change. The findings show that lifestyle counselling is most effective when care is relational, culturally sensitive, and rooted in the patient’s lived experience. This research contributes to debates on culturally grounded healthcare interventions and calls for policies that address both medical and social dimensions of chronic illness management in Suriname and similar contexts.