unit 1 Flashcards
(44 cards)
medical anthropology
the study of relationships between health, medicine, illness, and culture
what does culture refer to?
the shared beliefs, practices, and traditions within a community
Questions that medical anthropologists ask
What kinds of religious beliefs shape the healthcare decisions that people make for themselves and their families?
Methods that medical anthropologists use:
interviews, ethnographic/participant observation, surveys
Relativism
different people and communities hold different beliefs, which are no less valid or worthy than one another
pluralism
the practice of accessing care from multiple medical systems, such as biomedicine and Indigenous healing system
medicalization
the notion that we turn ordinary human experiences into ‘diseases’ to be cured
ex: grief
emic
the viewpoint of people within a culture about their own experiences, values, and practice
etic
the viewpoint of people outside of that culture about it
disease
the biological or pathological understanding of a disease, including what caused it, how to diagnose it, and medical interventions to treat it
illness
someone’s lived experience of health or disability; how they feel, and the stories they tell about the experience
sickness
the social role that someone takes on when their health is affected, and how society views such roles
what are the 4 components of all cultural medical systems?
etiology, diagnosis, treatment, prevention
Psychological anthropology
using the theories of anthropology and applying that to psychology
Ethnopsychology
the study of relationships among “cognitive, communicative, social-institutional forces” as well as conceptual models of “indigenous understandings of ‘self’, ‘personality’, ‘motivation,’ and the like
Developmental ethnopsychology
appropriate/inappropriate behaviors, cognitive-emotional expressions, abilities, and responsibilities at certain ages or life stages
Cross Cultural human development
What does it mean to be a good person in a particular place? To be a “healthy” person, or have a “well-being?”
How does society shape its values, beliefs, rituals, and practices to develop one into a good person as they grow up from conception through death?
Economics
a financial and social system of how resources flow through society, the study of the choices that people, companies, and governments make in allocating society’s resources
Economic theory
“maximizing your own gain”
Capitalism
“free-market system,” private ownership, economic freedom, and fair competition
Socialism
system based on principle that the gov should own and operate key enterprises that directly affect public welfare
Communism
system that calls for public ownership of virtually all enterprises, under the direction of a strong central government
GDP
measure of the total value of goods and services produced within a nation’s physical boundaries over a period of time
Healthcare spending
Why does the US spend more on healthcare than any other developed nation?
Why are doctors driving the increase? Is it their fault?
Are there things we can learn from other countries?
Movement toward increased price transparency
Free market (capitalism vs. socialist or more gov controls)
