Definition of Medical Anthropology

Medical anthropology is a part of the field of anthropology that focuses on how human cultures define and affect medical and health issues.

Anthropology

Anthropology is the study of the origins, cultures and social relationships of humans. The major fields within anthropology are sociocultural and biological/physical.

Influences on Medical Anthropology

As a subfield, medical anthropology draws upon the expertise of the major fields of anthropology as well as medicine, public health, philosophy, environmental science and sociology.

History

Particularly over the last 25 years, migration, urbanization and technology have made delivering effective and equitable health care much more challenging. Medical anthropology has developed to research and understand the intersections of culture and medical practice and knowledge.

Research Topics

Medical anthropologists study topics such as health-care culture and practices, cultural interpretations of medicine and disease, perceptions of how the body functions, and cultural and economic disparities in health and health-care provision.

Application

Medical anthropology is often also applied anthropology, which directly uses anthropological research to improve systems, organizations or individual lives. Some medical anthropologists work with doctors, nurses, scientists and/or patients to promote cultural knowledge and the best delivery of medical care within cultural constructs.

References

• WordNet Search: Anthropology
• University of California--San Francisco School of Medicine: Anthropology, History, and Social Medicine
• Society for Medical Anthropology: What Is Medical Anthropology?