The Applied Approach
WHAT IS THE APPLIED APPROACH TO MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY?
The applied approach of medical anthropology researches, studies, and analyzes different populations of peoples for certain diseases or illness by way of hospitals, government organizations, non-profit organizations, or NGO's (Non-government organizations). Using the data collected, new health programs can be started to address problems seen in the researched population. These new health programs help connect the world globally and reunite over disease. These processes intensify worldwide social relations and interdependence on one another; this is known as globalization. Medical anthropologists act as cultural mediators to achieve health in all patients throughout the world, usually done by developing a theory and method.
Globalization is viewed as both good and bad. The advantages of globalization are that ideas of treatment and healing can be communicated throughout the world. Also new medical technology can be created and shared throughout the world, hopefully increasing recovery rate. There are multiple organizations that reach out to help patients cope with their ongoing fight with lung cancer. Through new developments, such as the phone and internet, organizations can contact each other where ever, when ever. However, there are also many disadvantages to globalization. Globalization increases pollution, global warming, spread of disease, and the population. With new ways to heal lungs, one of the most vital organs to life, lung cancer is no longer killing as many people as it used to. In a world where food and resources are limited, an increase in population is something not needed. Also, ironically, the increase in factories, hospitals, and other medical developments have created more pollution on the Earth, one of the main causes of lung cancer observed by researchers. A study for the World Health Organization (WHO), estimates the increase in clinical trials involving lung cancer will increase exponentially yearly, as it is estimated 21 million new cases will present by 2030, as seen in the graph below, which shows incidence rates estimated for 2030. (World Health Organization, 2008). Although, lung cancer cannot be transmitted from person to person, like an infectious disease, the development of treatments increases the pollution in the air, which could possibly lead to higher lung cancer rates. However, due to the increase in developments of treatment, treatments, such as chemotherapy, are more available and cheaper to the world, which could decrease lung cancer incidents.
The applied approach of medical anthropology researches, studies, and analyzes different populations of peoples for certain diseases or illness by way of hospitals, government organizations, non-profit organizations, or NGO's (Non-government organizations). Using the data collected, new health programs can be started to address problems seen in the researched population. These new health programs help connect the world globally and reunite over disease. These processes intensify worldwide social relations and interdependence on one another; this is known as globalization. Medical anthropologists act as cultural mediators to achieve health in all patients throughout the world, usually done by developing a theory and method.
Globalization is viewed as both good and bad. The advantages of globalization are that ideas of treatment and healing can be communicated throughout the world. Also new medical technology can be created and shared throughout the world, hopefully increasing recovery rate. There are multiple organizations that reach out to help patients cope with their ongoing fight with lung cancer. Through new developments, such as the phone and internet, organizations can contact each other where ever, when ever. However, there are also many disadvantages to globalization. Globalization increases pollution, global warming, spread of disease, and the population. With new ways to heal lungs, one of the most vital organs to life, lung cancer is no longer killing as many people as it used to. In a world where food and resources are limited, an increase in population is something not needed. Also, ironically, the increase in factories, hospitals, and other medical developments have created more pollution on the Earth, one of the main causes of lung cancer observed by researchers. A study for the World Health Organization (WHO), estimates the increase in clinical trials involving lung cancer will increase exponentially yearly, as it is estimated 21 million new cases will present by 2030, as seen in the graph below, which shows incidence rates estimated for 2030. (World Health Organization, 2008). Although, lung cancer cannot be transmitted from person to person, like an infectious disease, the development of treatments increases the pollution in the air, which could possibly lead to higher lung cancer rates. However, due to the increase in developments of treatment, treatments, such as chemotherapy, are more available and cheaper to the world, which could decrease lung cancer incidents.
IS THERE AN EXAMPLE OF A CURRENT ANTHROPOLOGIST IN ACTION?
An anthropological study is seen in the scientific article, " Smoking and Ill Health: Does Lay Epidemiology Explain the Failure of Smoking Cessation Programs Among Deprived Populations?", published in 2003 in the American Journal of Public Health, by the American Public Health Association. The logo of the Journal can be seen below:
The author's theories are that, although public and private organizations have tried to help decrease smoking, a primary cause of lung cancer, the cultural practices of certain populations impede and resist the progression and success of organizations meant to help. These researcher's studied different advantaged and disadvantaged populations through out the United Kingdom, as well as, how successful the established organizations were at promoting smoking cessation. There results are highlighted in the graph and chart below. The social classes were divided into 5 categories, staring from I, which was the most advantaged, to V, which was the least advantaged group.
As one can see, the disadvantaged group was far more likely to smoke then their advantaged counter parts. The article "showed that these individuals [ group V, or the most disadvantaged group] greatly resented excessive taxation on cigarettes and believed that the government did little to support their difficult situations. Furthermore, these smokers developed numerous strategies, including buying contraband cigarettes, to maintain their smoking consumption as the cost of legal cigarettes increased" (American Public Health Association, 2003). Overall, it was concluded that smoking cessation organizations were not successful because they failed to recognize the social and cultural implications smoking causes especially on the lower classes. The article concluded that "To be effective, smoking cessation programs appear to depend on a perceptibly rising tide of general good health among the target population. Efforts to reduce smoking among the most deprived members of society are unlikely to succeed unless they are supported by measures designed to improve the material circumstances of these individuals" (American Public Health Association, 2003).
HOW CAN MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY HELP?
As shown in the above example, medical anthropologists can contribute great measures to doctors and organizations. Using the applied approach, medical anthropologists can study a population and produce an organization or idea that can help teach said population about a disease. The medical anthropologist, unlike a doctor, would be able to study and understand cultural standards set, and how they could overcome or incorporate culture into their teaching plans. As seen above, without the work of anthropologists, organizations in place to help promote smoking cessation would continue to fail. By identifying the cultural stigmas, the UK can now develop and refine these organizations to make them more successful.
Secondly, and because I did my report on lung cancer, I would want the course to examine the blog "Life and Breath: outliving lung cancer for the terminally optimistic". The blog gives experiential point of views of what it is like to be stigmatized by something you are not. It follows the lady, Nancy, as she deals with having lung cancer. She reports that after she tells someone she has lung cancer that they automatically suggest that she must have been a smoker, which she was not. I think it would be interesting to see why people judge others, and how that relates to the psychological healing of a person dealing with a disease or illness.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST...?
The valve of medical anthropology is unmeasurable. Medical anthropology allows medical personal to understand their patients, relate to their patients, and understand how their patients live. By doing so, treatments and diagnosis can be altered to fit a patients life. Also, it allows patients to better understand their health and increases the chances that they follow through with the designed treatment plan. Doctor's learn about their patients and how they can better reach them. Doctor's can learn to be less judgmental and more understanding of their patient's lifestyles. Overall, medicine is intertwined with a cultural framework.
HOW CAN MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY HELP?
As shown in the above example, medical anthropologists can contribute great measures to doctors and organizations. Using the applied approach, medical anthropologists can study a population and produce an organization or idea that can help teach said population about a disease. The medical anthropologist, unlike a doctor, would be able to study and understand cultural standards set, and how they could overcome or incorporate culture into their teaching plans. As seen above, without the work of anthropologists, organizations in place to help promote smoking cessation would continue to fail. By identifying the cultural stigmas, the UK can now develop and refine these organizations to make them more successful.
Secondly, and because I did my report on lung cancer, I would want the course to examine the blog "Life and Breath: outliving lung cancer for the terminally optimistic". The blog gives experiential point of views of what it is like to be stigmatized by something you are not. It follows the lady, Nancy, as she deals with having lung cancer. She reports that after she tells someone she has lung cancer that they automatically suggest that she must have been a smoker, which she was not. I think it would be interesting to see why people judge others, and how that relates to the psychological healing of a person dealing with a disease or illness.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST...?
The valve of medical anthropology is unmeasurable. Medical anthropology allows medical personal to understand their patients, relate to their patients, and understand how their patients live. By doing so, treatments and diagnosis can be altered to fit a patients life. Also, it allows patients to better understand their health and increases the chances that they follow through with the designed treatment plan. Doctor's learn about their patients and how they can better reach them. Doctor's can learn to be less judgmental and more understanding of their patient's lifestyles. Overall, medicine is intertwined with a cultural framework.
Bibliography:
Lawlor, Debbie A., Stephen Frankel, Mary Shaw, Shah Ebrahim, and George D. Smith. American Public Health Association. Accessed August 10, 2014. http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.93.2.266.
Life and Breath: outliving lung cancer for the terminally optimistic . "Nancy: Second Hand Smoke and Lung Cancer." Accessed July 31, 2014. http://outlivinglungcancer.com/tag/second-hand-smoke-and-lung-cancer/.
World Health Organization. Accessed August 10, 2014. http://clusteralliance.org/2010/06/02/who-predicts-21-million-annual-cancer-cases-by-2030/.
Lawlor, Debbie A., Stephen Frankel, Mary Shaw, Shah Ebrahim, and George D. Smith. American Public Health Association. Accessed August 10, 2014. http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.93.2.266.
Life and Breath: outliving lung cancer for the terminally optimistic . "Nancy: Second Hand Smoke and Lung Cancer." Accessed July 31, 2014. http://outlivinglungcancer.com/tag/second-hand-smoke-and-lung-cancer/.
World Health Organization. Accessed August 10, 2014. http://clusteralliance.org/2010/06/02/who-predicts-21-million-annual-cancer-cases-by-2030/.