MEDICAL MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGYANTHROPOLOGY

• Medical anthropology has Medical anthropology has become a long established become a long established specialty within anthropology specialty within anthropology and is in fact the second largest and is in fact the second largest sub-organization within the sub-organization within the American Anthropological American Anthropological Association.Association.

• Medical anthropologists are Medical anthropologists are interested in studying patterns of interested in studying patterns of human health sickness and death by human health sickness and death by considering both biological and considering both biological and cultural factors, i.e. what can be cultural factors, i.e. what can be termed a “biocultural synthesis”. For termed a “biocultural synthesis”. For example, high rates of infant death example, high rates of infant death caused by diarrhea.caused by diarrhea.

• In particular medical In particular medical anthropologists are interesting anthropologists are interesting in studying and seeking ways to in studying and seeking ways to deal with the following issues:deal with the following issues:

• why some human groups are why some human groups are more affected than others by more affected than others by certain illnessescertain illnesses

• why the effectiveness of why the effectiveness of treatment varies from group to treatment varies from group to groupgroup

• cultural variation in conceptions cultural variation in conceptions of health and illnessof health and illness

• cultural universals in health and cultural universals in health and illnessillness

• political and social forces that political and social forces that affect illness and healthaffect illness and health

• Of special interest to medical Of special interest to medical anthropologist is the study of anthropologist is the study of enthomedicine, the investigation enthomedicine, the investigation of health-related beliefs, of health-related beliefs, knowledge, and practices of knowledge, and practices of cultural groups.cultural groups.

• Some cultural beliefs about Some cultural beliefs about health and illness are health and illness are widespread.widespread.

• Among them are concepts of Among them are concepts of balance or equilibrium, meaning balance or equilibrium, meaning that imbalance brings illness and that imbalance brings illness and the restoration of balance brings the restoration of balance brings health. Examples, hot and cold, health. Examples, hot and cold, yang and yin. Tai chi as a yang and yin. Tai chi as a preventative measure.preventative measure.

• Another common belief is the idea Another common belief is the idea that supernatural forces cause illness that supernatural forces cause illness and must be appeased to restore and must be appeased to restore health. Examples, loss of one’s soul, health. Examples, loss of one’s soul, ill fate, retribution for violation of a ill fate, retribution for violation of a taboo or bad conduct, contact with a taboo or bad conduct, contact with a polluting or tabooed substance or polluting or tabooed substance or object, sorcery.object, sorcery.

• In these cases diagnosis is In these cases diagnosis is especially important in searching especially important in searching an appropriate cure.an appropriate cure.

• In trying to establish applied health In trying to establish applied health programs medical anthropologists programs medical anthropologists must first work with the cultural must first work with the cultural consensus of the social group, i.e. consensus of the social group, i.e. what do the majority of people belief what do the majority of people belief as the cause and likely cure of illness as the cause and likely cure of illness and what are their basic health beliefs.and what are their basic health beliefs.

• In medical anthropological In medical anthropological studies of shamans it has been studies of shamans it has been found that many shamans’ cures found that many shamans’ cures are much like those of are much like those of psychotherapists in the following psychotherapists in the following ways:ways:

• They name the illness and thus They name the illness and thus so labeled it becomes more likely so labeled it becomes more likely to be cured.to be cured.

• Shamans who are warm, Shamans who are warm, empathetic, non-threatening and empathetic, non-threatening and appear to be sincerely concerned appear to be sincerely concerned for their patients get better for their patients get better results.results.

• Elaborate curing paraphernalia, Elaborate curing paraphernalia, impressive settings, time and impressive settings, time and resources spent to receive a cure resources spent to receive a cure all seem to affect better results.all seem to affect better results.

• Some ethnocures have biological Some ethnocures have biological properties that empirically work. properties that empirically work. Many cultures have a Many cultures have a sophisticated knowledge of the sophisticated knowledge of the human anatomy. Examples, bone human anatomy. Examples, bone setting, fetus tuning, medical setting, fetus tuning, medical plants.plants.

• The mind-body connection The mind-body connection should always be considered. should always be considered. While we are only beginning to While we are only beginning to understand the linkage of body, understand the linkage of body, mind and emotion, we know it is mind and emotion, we know it is important. Example, the placebo important. Example, the placebo effect.effect.

• Nowadays the knowledge Nowadays the knowledge exchange between Western exchange between Western medicine and the ethnomedicine medicine and the ethnomedicine of other cultures is more of other cultures is more complete and two-way. complete and two-way. Examples, acupuncture, herbal Examples, acupuncture, herbal cures.cures.

• The increase in human migration The increase in human migration around the world has helped around the world has helped spread illnesses to all parts of spread illnesses to all parts of the globe.the globe.

• Medical anthropologists are Medical anthropologists are concerned with how the concerned with how the inequities of wealth and power inequities of wealth and power affect illness and health. affect illness and health. Example, cash crops replacing Example, cash crops replacing subsistence agriculture.subsistence agriculture.

• Migration and wealth and power Migration and wealth and power in inequalities have brought in inequalities have brought about some particular health about some particular health concerns.concerns.

• Example, the epidemic of AIDS. Example, the epidemic of AIDS. Sexual practice, poverty, the Sexual practice, poverty, the pharmacy business, cultural pharmacy business, cultural beliefs regarding sex, relative beliefs regarding sex, relative gender position.gender position.

• Medical anthropologists also Medical anthropologists also investigate whether there are investigate whether there are culturally bound illnesses or not.culturally bound illnesses or not.

• Example, is Example, is pibloktoq pibloktoq an illness an illness occurring among some adult occurring among some adult Inuit in Greenland (symptoms, Inuit in Greenland (symptoms, disorientation, agitation, disorientation, agitation, followed by exhaustion and followed by exhaustion and withdrawal) really unique or withdrawal) really unique or caused by a dietary deficiency?caused by a dietary deficiency?

• SustoSusto may be a culturally bound may be a culturally bound way to understand generalized way to understand generalized ill health and/or psychological ill health and/or psychological distress.distress.

• Yet medical anthropological Yet medical anthropological studies indicate depression and studies indicate depression and schizophrenia are so widespread schizophrenia are so widespread that they are thought to be that they are thought to be universal.universal.

• In sum medical anthropologists In sum medical anthropologists consider human health and consider human health and illness from the holistic illness from the holistic perspective of a biocultural perspective of a biocultural synthesis.synthesis.