An·thro·pol·o·gy
The science of humans; especially : the study of humans in relation to distribution, origin, classification, and relationship of races, physical character, environmental and social relations, and culture
The science of humans; especially : the study of humans in relation to distribution, origin, classification, and relationship of races, physical character, environmental and social relations, and culture
Medical Anthropology is a specialized form of anthropology characterized by studying the human body, disease, treatment and diagnoses in different cultures. Both critical medical anthropology and applied medical anthropology are relevant to "the resolution of health and healthcare problems" (Joralemon, 2010: 88).
Applied Medical Anthropology
Applied medical anthropology is the application of medical anthropology in different situations. The book titled Exploring Medical Anthropolgy by Donald Joralemon gives a multitude of examples of the application of medical anthropology. One example is that of HIV/AIDS prevention in the Congo. In this case, anthropologist Brooke Schoepf has worked since 1985 on HIV/AIDS prevention in this part of the world. Schoepf and her colleagues found that "primary transmission of AIDS in this region is by heterosexual intercourse with an infected partner" (Joralemon, 2010: 94). The thought was that prevention required that the general population be educated on the prevention of HIV/AIDS.
At the time, Schoepf worked on a series of initiatives with female sex workers giving them different scenarios. The initiatives provided information and education on transmission and sterilization of needles to help attempt to prevent drug users from becoming infected. Throughout Schoepf's work in the Congo, she determined that even with education "sexual negotiations between women and men are tied to Congo's postcolonial, socioeconomic turmoil" (Joralemon, 2010: 95).
Exploring Medical Anthropolgy by Donald Joralemon also provides examples of how medical anthropology is applied in the United States. According to Joralemon, anthropologists contribute to health in the United States greatly. Anthropologists work on public and community health projects, work with hospitals and clinics and help participate in the training of medical professionals. Alike Brooke Schoepf's work in the Congo, medical anthropologists in the U.S. help to educate people on disease transmission and prevention in all types of healthcare settings.
At the time, Schoepf worked on a series of initiatives with female sex workers giving them different scenarios. The initiatives provided information and education on transmission and sterilization of needles to help attempt to prevent drug users from becoming infected. Throughout Schoepf's work in the Congo, she determined that even with education "sexual negotiations between women and men are tied to Congo's postcolonial, socioeconomic turmoil" (Joralemon, 2010: 95).
Exploring Medical Anthropolgy by Donald Joralemon also provides examples of how medical anthropology is applied in the United States. According to Joralemon, anthropologists contribute to health in the United States greatly. Anthropologists work on public and community health projects, work with hospitals and clinics and help participate in the training of medical professionals. Alike Brooke Schoepf's work in the Congo, medical anthropologists in the U.S. help to educate people on disease transmission and prevention in all types of healthcare settings.
Critical Medical Anthropology
Some anthropologists have in a way "attacked" applied medical anthropologists. They have done this by feeling that applied medical anthropologists are conservative and are "so afraid of offending medical colleagues that he/she becomes a handmaiden to biomedicine" (Joralemon, 2010: 98). Critical medical anthropologists also feel that applied medical anthropologists "merely help to extend the physician's ability to control his/her patients to depoliticize health problems by treating them as individual rather than social problems"(Joralemon, 2010: 98).
One of the differences between applied and medical anthropology is that critical medical anthropologists work with labor unions, ethnic community organizations, women's health collectives, gays and other groups of people victimized by the stigma of AIDS, self-help and self-care groups. They also would help to "document and work to reverse the health problems associated with environmental pollution, occupational hazards and poor living conditions"(Joralemon, 2010: 99).
Although Applied Medical Anthropology and Critical Medical Anthropology have their similarities and differences, both deal with health and resolving healthcare problems. Applied Medical Anthropology works more with disease education and prevention all over the world. Critical Medical Anthropology works more toward health promotion and disease prevention in groups that are in a way "picked out" of the general population and are stereotyped by diseases.
One of the differences between applied and medical anthropology is that critical medical anthropologists work with labor unions, ethnic community organizations, women's health collectives, gays and other groups of people victimized by the stigma of AIDS, self-help and self-care groups. They also would help to "document and work to reverse the health problems associated with environmental pollution, occupational hazards and poor living conditions"(Joralemon, 2010: 99).
Although Applied Medical Anthropology and Critical Medical Anthropology have their similarities and differences, both deal with health and resolving healthcare problems. Applied Medical Anthropology works more with disease education and prevention all over the world. Critical Medical Anthropology works more toward health promotion and disease prevention in groups that are in a way "picked out" of the general population and are stereotyped by diseases.