Medical Anthropology

It contains a concept in behavioral science that deals with the relationship between health and societal norms and belief

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Medical Anthropology

It contains a concept in behavioral science that deals with the relationship between health and societal norms and belief

Uploaded by

akothloviance23

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MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

Definition
Medical Anthropology is the study of health and disease,
health care systems and bio-cultural adaptations. It is a
sub-branch of anthropology.
Goals of Medical Anthropology
 To study how health and well-being are socially
and culturally constructed in comparative and
transnational contexts.
 It also examines how culture influences the
experience of illness
 The practice of medicine in diverse contexts
 To study the process of healing for individual and
community.
 To examine how personal experience and
perceptions influences illness and well-being.
 To examine how cultural values and practices
influence biomedical research and practice.
 To examine how biomedical research, non-
western medicine influence culture and healing
processes.
 To study how micro and macro politics and
forces of globalization influence health care
programmes in a society.
 To understand how health of individuals, large
social formations and environment are affected
by interrelationships between humans and other
species.

The term Culture refers to the norms, values and

assumptions that a social group of people share and
create together, and the practices that are created
based on these norms, values and assumptions (Ortner
1984, Hardon et al. 2001).
Sources of Medical Anthropology
i) Early Anthropology- The interest of early
anthropologists who studied human evolution and
adaptation contributed significantly to medical
anthropology.
ii) Ethnographic interest in the primitive medicine
iii) Early Psychiatry
Studies in psychiatric phenomena in the culture and
personality school
iv) Anthropological work in international health.

Theoretical Orientations of medical anthropology

There are three theoretical orientations rare related to
medical anthropology:
a) Medical Ecology- states that populations are
biological as well as cultural units and studies
interactions among ecological systems. I t also
involves adaptations- changes, modifications and
variations that increase chances of survival,
reproductive success and general well-being in the
environment.
-Medical ecology assumes that biomedical disease
categories are universal. Disease rates can be
measured through time and across geographical
space and correlated with changes in settlement
patterns and subsistence.
Aspects of Ecology
 Subsistence patterns and nutrition
 Children’s growth and development
 Pregnancy and birth rates
 Population size, density and ability
 Chronic and infectious diseases
 Hazards and injury patterns
 Demographic (population) changes
b)Health and Human Evolution- It shows both the
spread and management of diseases throughout the
period of human evolution. Evolution of diseases
parallels human biological and cultural evolution.
Risks faced by the hunter-gatherer (foraging)
communities differ from those faced by the
agricultural and industrial societies.
 Ethno-Medical Analysis- Focuses on cultural systems
of healing and the cognitive parameters of healing.

Functions of Applied Medical Anthropology

 Prevention of diseases
 Search for medical interventions
 Formulation of policies affecting disease control
prevention and medical practice
 Analyzing socioeconomic forces and power
differentials that influence access to medical
care.

ETHINOMEDICINE
The term ethnomedicine refers to the health maintenance
systems of any society. Ethnomedicine focuses on the
following,
 Health beliefs and practices of any society
 Cultural values
 Social roles of the members of society
 Knowledge and values of specialists
 The role of healers, patients or clients and family
members
 Techniques and implements used in medical practice
 The pharmacopoeia of specialists
 Legal and economic aspects of health practices
 Symbolic and interpersonal experiences of illness
among members of society. This means how people
treat each other in case of sickness.

Types of Ethnomedical Systems

a) Cosmopolitan Medicine- This type of medical
practice is predominantly found in North America and
other urban Centers of the world. It emphasizes the
following aspects of medical care; Scientific research,
naturalistic explanations, technology and surgery, Use
of extraordinary interventions and hierarchical
roles( i.e. M.o.H, chief Nurse, Nurse, Nurse aid etc)
b)Humoral Medicine- This refers to ancient Greek
Medicine. Health is influenced by a balance among
bodily humors and their intrinsic qualities.
c) Ayurvedic Medicine- Health and medical practices
among Chinese and Indian communities. It adapts
elements from other medical systems.
Aspects of Ethnomedicine
i) Explanatory model- These are notions about the
causes of illnesses, diagnostic criteria and available
treatment options. These notions are held by
patients and family members. They usually differ
from one community to another.
Cultural communication and negotiations about
illnesses leads to cultural construction of illnesses.
ii) Distinction of Illness
According to ethnomedicine illness is the
experience of impairment or distress. Diseases are
caused by social and spiritual powers.
Ethnomedical aetiology (causes of illnesses)
includes sorcery (witchcraft), soul loss and
possession by evil spirits. This differs from western
explanations.
iii) Negotiation and management of illnesses
Healing is mediated by symbols and practices that
induce conditioned neurophysiologic and immune
responses. The traditional healer’s behaviour and
symbols induce healing or reduce stress.
iv) Ethnomedical psychiatry- Traditional illnesses or
culture bound syndromes appear to be psychogenic
v) Ethnographic methods- Most primary methods are
used. Ethnomedical data on disease categories,
causes and decision models. In the cause of
treatment, specialized tools (pharmacologic items)
are used. It employs indigenous peoples’
knowledge of medicinal plants.