*What is Applied Medical Anthropology and who does it serve?
Applied Medical Anthropology deals with developing interventions, preventions and policy issues along with evaluations of the socioeconomic forces and power differentials that influence access to care (McElroy, 1996). In the past Anthropologists were not seen as valuable as they are presently for multiple reasons (Joralemon, 2009). A medical anthropologist can not simply go into a country full of foreign people and judge in a few hours or even days, sometimes fieldwork would take months. With organizations wanting to get 'moving' there was much opposition to the field of medical anthropology (Joralemon, 2009).
In the 1970's, there was a proliferation of anthropologists working for private, nonprofit organizations and foundations that promoted health initiatives in the United States and abroad (Joralemon, 2009). These were small projects focused on mutual planning between technical experts and local community members, therefore experienced anthropologists were required (Joralemon, 2009). Although applied medical anthropologists had served for the government, the Reagan administration had a part in resulting an evaporation of many of these jobs (Joralemon, 2009). Applied Anthropologists, however, continued to work in "nongovernmental organizations", "multilateral" institutions, joined other organizations formed by other social scientists and policy experts and some even opened up privately owned operations (Joralemon, 2009).
By the George W. Bush administration, the shift back to government-supported projects again supported applied medical anthropologists (Joralemon, 2009). Today applied medical anthropologists serve in clinics serving multicultural populations, in maternal and child health programs, on surveys of comity responses to environmental hazards, on program planning and evaluations in psychiatric hospitals, on AIDS prevention projects, and on the reintegration of people with traumatic brain injury to community life (McElroy, 1996).
Applied medical anthropologists contribute methodological techniques and cultural expertise to the design and implementation of a health education campaign as well as showcase as social activists (Joralemon, 2009). They can analyze the socioeconomic conditions behind health problems and help develop interventions with social reforms in mind (Joralemon, 2009). As the assumed cultural expert, the medical anthropologist is often called upon to apply ethnographic knowledge to the assessment of health needs, the planning of culturally acceptable interventions, and resolution of communication difficulties between health workers and patients (Joralemon, 2009). Central to the role of a medical anthropologist is cultural competency, whether teaching it or applying it (Joralemon, 2009). The entrance of medical anthropologists into biomedicine came with the knowledge that introducing cultural competency into the clinical world improves patient/physician interaction and treatment outcomes (Joralemon, 2009). This lack of cultural competence is clearly seen in the book written by Anne Fadiman "The Spirit Catches you and you fall down".
Was applied medical anthropology used in "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down"?
In this story a young epileptic Hmong child's journey in the American Medical system is explored. Due to many cultural barriers between the Hmong culture and Western medicine culture including language, beliefs and ideals, causes many disturbances in her care. Applied medical anthropology was not used in this story, and because of this the weight of Lia's story has changed medical anthropology for the better. In the story there was a lack of exploration about the Hmong culture and no effort in trying to determine how Lia's parents viewed their daughter's are or how they viewed her illness. The story took place at Merced Medical Center in Merced, California, and at the time, there was very little knowledge about the Hmong's or their culture. The story of the Lee's has made such an influence on the medical center that there is a "policy and novel training program to introduce shamans to the principles of Western medicine are part of a national movement to consider patients' cultural beliefs and values when deciding their medical treatment" (Brown, 2009). This same approach is contagiously being adopted by dozens of medical institutions and clinics across the country that cater to immigrant, refugee and ethnic-minority populations (Brown, 2009).
Plans to incorporate shaman practices are becoming a real practice in medical institutions. Programs are also educating the Shamans on Western medicine especially in the theory of germs, allowing them to look into microscopes at cells, and also visiting operating rooms (Brown, 2009). This practice allows an increased understanding and respect among the Hmong Shamans as well as Western medicine (Brown, 2009). The goal for these programs is to also increase communication between the Hmong patient population and how physicians make decisions and recommendations (Brown, 2009). The consequences of miscommunication is the focus of the book "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down", however, this book has prompted many of the shaman policies in medical institutions (Brown, 2009). Although applied medical anthropology was not utilized in the story, the result of this book had such an influence that now cultural competency and medical anthropology is an integral part of many medical institutions.
(Image #3 as banner and Image #4 'medical anthropology')
Applied Medical Anthropology deals with developing interventions, preventions and policy issues along with evaluations of the socioeconomic forces and power differentials that influence access to care (McElroy, 1996). In the past Anthropologists were not seen as valuable as they are presently for multiple reasons (Joralemon, 2009). A medical anthropologist can not simply go into a country full of foreign people and judge in a few hours or even days, sometimes fieldwork would take months. With organizations wanting to get 'moving' there was much opposition to the field of medical anthropology (Joralemon, 2009).
In the 1970's, there was a proliferation of anthropologists working for private, nonprofit organizations and foundations that promoted health initiatives in the United States and abroad (Joralemon, 2009). These were small projects focused on mutual planning between technical experts and local community members, therefore experienced anthropologists were required (Joralemon, 2009). Although applied medical anthropologists had served for the government, the Reagan administration had a part in resulting an evaporation of many of these jobs (Joralemon, 2009). Applied Anthropologists, however, continued to work in "nongovernmental organizations", "multilateral" institutions, joined other organizations formed by other social scientists and policy experts and some even opened up privately owned operations (Joralemon, 2009).
By the George W. Bush administration, the shift back to government-supported projects again supported applied medical anthropologists (Joralemon, 2009). Today applied medical anthropologists serve in clinics serving multicultural populations, in maternal and child health programs, on surveys of comity responses to environmental hazards, on program planning and evaluations in psychiatric hospitals, on AIDS prevention projects, and on the reintegration of people with traumatic brain injury to community life (McElroy, 1996).
Applied medical anthropologists contribute methodological techniques and cultural expertise to the design and implementation of a health education campaign as well as showcase as social activists (Joralemon, 2009). They can analyze the socioeconomic conditions behind health problems and help develop interventions with social reforms in mind (Joralemon, 2009). As the assumed cultural expert, the medical anthropologist is often called upon to apply ethnographic knowledge to the assessment of health needs, the planning of culturally acceptable interventions, and resolution of communication difficulties between health workers and patients (Joralemon, 2009). Central to the role of a medical anthropologist is cultural competency, whether teaching it or applying it (Joralemon, 2009). The entrance of medical anthropologists into biomedicine came with the knowledge that introducing cultural competency into the clinical world improves patient/physician interaction and treatment outcomes (Joralemon, 2009). This lack of cultural competence is clearly seen in the book written by Anne Fadiman "The Spirit Catches you and you fall down".
Was applied medical anthropology used in "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down"?
In this story a young epileptic Hmong child's journey in the American Medical system is explored. Due to many cultural barriers between the Hmong culture and Western medicine culture including language, beliefs and ideals, causes many disturbances in her care. Applied medical anthropology was not used in this story, and because of this the weight of Lia's story has changed medical anthropology for the better. In the story there was a lack of exploration about the Hmong culture and no effort in trying to determine how Lia's parents viewed their daughter's are or how they viewed her illness. The story took place at Merced Medical Center in Merced, California, and at the time, there was very little knowledge about the Hmong's or their culture. The story of the Lee's has made such an influence on the medical center that there is a "policy and novel training program to introduce shamans to the principles of Western medicine are part of a national movement to consider patients' cultural beliefs and values when deciding their medical treatment" (Brown, 2009). This same approach is contagiously being adopted by dozens of medical institutions and clinics across the country that cater to immigrant, refugee and ethnic-minority populations (Brown, 2009).
Plans to incorporate shaman practices are becoming a real practice in medical institutions. Programs are also educating the Shamans on Western medicine especially in the theory of germs, allowing them to look into microscopes at cells, and also visiting operating rooms (Brown, 2009). This practice allows an increased understanding and respect among the Hmong Shamans as well as Western medicine (Brown, 2009). The goal for these programs is to also increase communication between the Hmong patient population and how physicians make decisions and recommendations (Brown, 2009). The consequences of miscommunication is the focus of the book "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down", however, this book has prompted many of the shaman policies in medical institutions (Brown, 2009). Although applied medical anthropology was not utilized in the story, the result of this book had such an influence that now cultural competency and medical anthropology is an integral part of many medical institutions.
(Image #3 as banner and Image #4 'medical anthropology')
