2. medical anthropology

8/7/2019 2. Medical Anthropology

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MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGYCULTURAL CONCEPT OF BODY - MIND

CULTURAL CONCEPT OF HEALTH

Dr. Tuti Wahmurti A. Sapiie, dr., SpKJ (K)Dr. Tuti Wahmurti A. Sapiie, dr., SpKJ (K)


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ANTHROPOLOGY

The Branch of science concerned with origin and development of humans in all theirs physical, social, and culture relationships.

The study of human beings :

direct observation of their activities and their products.

contribution to the better understanding of the complex

process involved in the biological and development of

mankind.

(Sadock & Sadock, 2005 ; Goetz PW et al., 1990)


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MEDICAL ANTHOROPOLGY (1)

is a specialized sub-discipline of social anthropology, focused on the

cross cultural study of social and cultural responses to health, illness

and healing, and

the comparative study of medical and therapeutic systems.


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In the simple description we can say that medicare anthropologystudying how illness is traditionally perceived and cured around the

world.

There are 2 terms : illness & disease

Distinction between illness and disease :

In the Western people usually do not make a distinction between

illness and disease.

In non western cultural tradition :

Disease : is an objectively measurable pathological condition of

the body e.g. tooth decay, measles, a broken bone

Illness : is a feeling of not being normal or healthy.


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Illness may be due to :

a disease

a feeling of psychological / spiritual imbalance

Perception of illness are highly culture related, while disease usuallyis notIt is important for health professionals who treat people from other cultures to understand :

What their patients believe can cause them to be ill

What kind of curing methods they consider effective as wellas acceptable

U nderstanding a cultures perception of illness is also useful indiscovering major aspects of their world view.


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CULTURE (1)

C ulture refers to meanings, values, and behavioral norms that are

learned and transmitted (in the dominant society and within social

groups) through contact with family, friends, classmates, teachers,significant persons, and the media :

It results

in personal sense of belonging to ones own society and in a native

identity.

(Sadock & Sadock, 2003 ; Favazza A, 2005)

There are many definitions of culture, one of them is :


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CULTURE (2)

C ulture is conceptualized as a totality composed of a complex system

of symbols possessing subjective dimentions (values, feelings, and

ideals) and objective dimentions (beliefs, traditions, and behavioral

norms) articulated into laws and rituals.

C ulture powerfully influences cognition, feelings, and self concept as

well as the diagnostic process and treatment decisions.

(Sadock & Sadock, 2003)


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MIND BODY PERSPECTIVE (1)

Throughout the centuries philosophers from all over the world havedebated and theorized about the mind-body connection

The diversity of the theories spans all over the world, comingfrom diverse culture.

Many of theories that emerge were and still are closely linkedto the religions and cultural aspects of the societies from

which they came from


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MIND BODY PERSPECTIVE (2)

The east is the birthplace of several philosophies and religionsthat are based upon the interconnection of body and soul.

In India, Karma tends to look forward the continuity of the soul

over many lifetimes.It look at the consequences of ones

mental and bodily actions. These consequences can beimmediate or emerge in the next lifetime or even severallifetimes later.

Zen follows traditional eastern thought : does not see thedistinction between the mind the body, instead sees them asbeing one in the same


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MIND / BODY MEDICINE (1)

M ind / body medicine may soon revolutionioze modern health care.

The new mind / body medicine extend beyond the parameters of

psychoneuroimmunology to include the fields of psychology and

physics in a new science of consciousness, a view which sees

energy as the underlying pattern of the universe.

A basic premise in mind / body medicine : chronic stress and lack of

balance contribute to illness; relaxation, positive methods of coping

with stress & restoration of balance health.


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This view bears similarities to many Asia philosophies see thathuman being as part of an interconnected, universal energy field.

These Eastern traditions have for centuries believed that

consciousness plays an essential role in governing physical andpsychological health.


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N o two people are alike, so even if they have the same disease thepaths to recovery may be different.

C onversely the same disease can be the result of different factors

with different people.

Although these principles have been recognized in traditionalC hinese M edicine, Ayurvedic M edicine, and others, it is a relativelynew concept in Western M edicine.


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CULTURAL CONCEPT OF HUMAN BODY (1)

C ulture exert a great influence on the birth, development, and death of thehuman body, such as :

1. Body modification rituals :

Participants believe that the rituals promote health, heals pathologicalconditions, maintain social stability, enhance spirituality, and provide for

religions salvation.

2. C ultural concept of human body is also expressed in child rearing

practices.

(Favazza A, 2005)


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CULTURAL CONCEPT OF HUMAN BODY (2)

3. In a certain culture there are some taboos, e.q. incest taboos,

dietary preferences and food processing

4. Problem associated with the drinking of alcohol depend greatly on

culture

5. The certain traditional stance that birth control is sinful

(Favazza A, 2005)


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In all human societies, beliefs and practices relating to ill &

health are a central feature of the culture

CULTURAL CONCEPT OF HEALTH (1)

M atter is neutral, molecules are meaningless until they are

personally interpreted, explained, and accepted as reality throughthe culture process.

H ealth and illness are cultural categories based on universal

biological events and culturally diverse bodily experiences that may

be interpreted and acted differently

(Favazza A, 2005)


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O ften health & illness are linked to beliefs and misfortune

(accidents, interpersonal conflicts, natural disasters, crop failures,

theft and loss), of which ill-health is just one form. Sometime they

blamed on supernatural forces


A woman somewhere in the world experiences an enduring anddifficult-to-control sense of apprehensive, tense muscle, anddifficult falling asleep her reaction to this complex of experiences depends greatly on her culture.

Sound of ringing ears someone is talking about him / her

(Favazza A, 2005)


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The values and customs associated with ill-health are part of a wider

culture, that can not be studied in isolation from it.

O ne cannot really understand how people react to illness, death or other mis-fortunes without an understanding of the type of culture.



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DEFINITION of HEALTHin human being

The extend of individuals continuing physical, emotional, mental,

and social ability to cope with his / her environment.

The conception of good health :

M ust involve some allowance for change in the environment.

Bad health can be defined as the presence of disease good

health as its absence of continuity disease.

(Goetz PW et al.,1990)


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MENTAL HEALTH

The successful performance of mental functions, in term of

thought, mood, and behavior that results in productive activities,

fulfilling relationship with others, and the ability to adapt tochange and to cope with adversity.

(Shahrokh N C & H ales RE, 2003)


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CULTURAL CONCEPT OF MENTAL HEALTH

Behavior is determined by interplay among a persons environment,

life experiences, and biological endowment.

C ulture is the matrix within which these psychological, social, and

biological forces operate and become meaningful to humans.

C ulture is not a thing that a person has, but rather is an ongoing

process created by shares interpersonal experiences that reversible

throughout a society and affect its institutions and the daily life of its

members.

(Favazza A, 2005)


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SOCIO-CULTURAL CHANGE

When social life is dynamic, then the culture is also dynamic.

The important concepts of socio-cultural change are as follows :

L earning process of the member of the society where he / she lives occurs

by : internalization, socialization, and enculturation.

Cultural evolution

The geographically spread of culture : acculturation, assimilation,

innovation, discovery and invention.

Among those the learning procces is important to discuss


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The Learning Process (1)

I nternalization process :

a long process since a person born, till he / she almost die, where

he / she is learning to plant in his / her personality the feelings,

psychological-needs, passions, emotions that are needed for the

whole life.

To activate all in his / her personality, it should be stimulated by the

physical and socio-cultural environment.


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The Learning Process (2)

S ocialization Process :

the socialization process is connected with the learning process of culture in case of the social-system. A person who is learning thepatterns action within the social communication with other persons

surround him / her that have several social roles in every day life.

Enculturation Process (institutionalization) :

a person have to learn and adapt his / her mind and behavior intocustoms, norms and other rules within his / her culture.

Ex : small presents brought from a journey.


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CULTURAL EVOLUTION

The continuous growth of the culture from simple to

complex forms and from homogeneous to heterogeneous

qualities.

It is presumed to be an ongoing process of cultural

evolution.


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A CHANGING WORLD

We cannot separate the local actions from the larger social setting

that extend around the globe.

Globalization is an in here phenomenon that is affecting our intimate

and personal lives in many diverse ways.

It is fundamentally changing the nature of our everyday experiences:

personal aspects, family, gender roles, sexuality, personal identity,

interactions with others and our relationships to work.


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T H A N K Y O UT H A N K Y O U

2. medical anthropology

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