Medical anthropology
Medical Anthropology
Medical Anthropology (pronunciation: /ˈmɛdɪkəl/ /ˌænθrəˈpɒlədʒi/) is a subfield of Anthropology that draws upon social, cultural, biological, and linguistic anthropology to better understand those factors which influence health and well-being (broadly defined), the experience and distribution of illness, the prevention and treatment of sickness, healing processes, the social relations of therapy management, and the cultural importance and utilization of pluralistic medical systems.
The term "Medical Anthropology" has been used since 1963 as a label for empirical research and theoretical production by anthropologists into the social processes and cultural representations of health, illness and the nursing/care practices associated with these.
Etymology
The term "Medical Anthropology" is derived from the Greek words "medicus" meaning "pertaining to medicine" and "anthropos" meaning "human being".
Related Terms
- Biocultural Anthropology: This refers to the application of the principles of biology and culture to the study of human behavior. It provides a framework for understanding how behavior and biology interact to shape the human experience.
- Ethnomedicine: This is a study or comparison of the traditional medicine practiced by various ethnic groups, and especially by indigenous peoples. The word ethnomedicine is sometimes used as a synonym for traditional medicine.
- Health Disparity: Health disparities refer to gaps in the quality of health and health care across racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and socioeconomic groups.
- Global Health: Global health is the health of populations in the worldwide context; it has been defined as "the area of study, research and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide".
- Social Epidemiology: Social epidemiology is a branch of epidemiology that focuses particularly on the effects of social-structural factors on states of health.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Medical anthropology
- Wikipedia's article - Medical anthropology
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