MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Applied Medical Anthropology
Applied medical anthropology is applying anthropological theories and methods to health interventions (Joraleman 2010: 137). An example of applied medical anthropology could be the development of a vaccination program in a specific geographical area and population where there is a high incidence of a certain disease. |
Image #1: Retrieved from: www.slideshare.net Photo by Cameron Hay.
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Relevance to resolving healthcare problems:
Applied medical anthropology can provide information about populations that are at risk of certain problems. Once the problems are identified, the anthropologists can develop ways in which the population can be assisted in preventing and/or treating the problem. It would be wise for the anthropologist to research the populations culture and identify possible barriers to their interventions and be proactive in promoting their interventions. This could include holding educational meetings and providing educational literature that the population could easily understand (Health, Illness and Healing, n.d.).
Cultural Competency:
Applied medical anthropology can help link cultures and lead all of us to a higher level of understanding health, illness and healing. Medical anthropologist can assist healthcare professionals in finding ways to treat the whole person, not just the person's illness. Healing a person takes a multifaceted approach. For example, in Anne Fadiman's book the Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, a Hmong child and her family interact with the American medical community and the family's culture is not well understood . The lack of cultural knowledge and understanding leads to many misunderstandings in the child's medical care. The American health care professionals have the impression that the Hmong family is noncompliant, as the child's illness progresses the medical community starts to inquire more about the families cultural beliefs and a better understanding starts to unfold (Fadiman 1997).
The Hmong believe that that illness stems from a lost soul and without this soul, you as a whole person are out of balance. The Hmong believe in dabs, which are spirits that can steal your soul and make you ill. Had the medical community taken time in the beginning of Lia’s illness to learn about the Hmong’s beliefs and used modern medicine in conjunction with the Hmong’s beliefs this may have directly improved the care that Lia received. For example, the medical community could have early on involved a shaman to Lia’s treatment plan. A shaman is a ritual healer, like a medicine man. The shaman can perform ceremonies that can help return the lost soul (Brown 2009: 1). A shaman can also communicate with dabs and negotiate with them on ways to allow the ill person’s soul to return to them. If the medical community would have been more knowledgeable and open minded by recognizing the importance of the Lia’s family’s cultural beliefs and the use of the shaman, they may have been able to develop a more effective plan of care for Lia and encouraged a more trusting relationship with Lia’s family (Brown 2009:2).
Applied medical anthropology can provide information about populations that are at risk of certain problems. Once the problems are identified, the anthropologists can develop ways in which the population can be assisted in preventing and/or treating the problem. It would be wise for the anthropologist to research the populations culture and identify possible barriers to their interventions and be proactive in promoting their interventions. This could include holding educational meetings and providing educational literature that the population could easily understand (Health, Illness and Healing, n.d.).
Cultural Competency:
Applied medical anthropology can help link cultures and lead all of us to a higher level of understanding health, illness and healing. Medical anthropologist can assist healthcare professionals in finding ways to treat the whole person, not just the person's illness. Healing a person takes a multifaceted approach. For example, in Anne Fadiman's book the Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, a Hmong child and her family interact with the American medical community and the family's culture is not well understood . The lack of cultural knowledge and understanding leads to many misunderstandings in the child's medical care. The American health care professionals have the impression that the Hmong family is noncompliant, as the child's illness progresses the medical community starts to inquire more about the families cultural beliefs and a better understanding starts to unfold (Fadiman 1997).
The Hmong believe that that illness stems from a lost soul and without this soul, you as a whole person are out of balance. The Hmong believe in dabs, which are spirits that can steal your soul and make you ill. Had the medical community taken time in the beginning of Lia’s illness to learn about the Hmong’s beliefs and used modern medicine in conjunction with the Hmong’s beliefs this may have directly improved the care that Lia received. For example, the medical community could have early on involved a shaman to Lia’s treatment plan. A shaman is a ritual healer, like a medicine man. The shaman can perform ceremonies that can help return the lost soul (Brown 2009: 1). A shaman can also communicate with dabs and negotiate with them on ways to allow the ill person’s soul to return to them. If the medical community would have been more knowledgeable and open minded by recognizing the importance of the Lia’s family’s cultural beliefs and the use of the shaman, they may have been able to develop a more effective plan of care for Lia and encouraged a more trusting relationship with Lia’s family (Brown 2009:2).