Women elders take care of older children and prepare meals. There are specific foods the new mother is to eat, especially foods high in calories and nutrition. The South Asian attitude towards mental health is complex. An individual's emotional problems bring shame and guilt to the family, preventing any family member from reporting such problems to others outside the family. In some rural communities, mental problems are seen as a result of spirit possession.
Exorcism is the treatment for severe cases.
They feel their role is passive, respectful and obedient in the provider's presence. Depending on the level of acculturation, it is customary for the patient to expect the relationship with the provider to be formal. The patient or family will seldom ask questions because it might seem rude. If a Western treatment is at odds with the treatment traditional in South Asian communities, the family is likely to ignore the provider and stay with tradition. The provider is expected to offer tangible solutions and to be confident about proposed treatments or surgery.