Welcome to the first category of the trip! This section will focus on the biological and ecological take within medical anthropology. When considering the dimensions of the biological and ecological aspects to anthropology in regards to diabetes a unique perspective develops and allows for a better understanding of the disease and some of the problems associated with it. The ecological approach can be used to answer questions like: how prevalent is diabetes among different ethnic backgrounds in a particular region or country, as in a health disparity, and how do factors like culture, political economy, and environment play a role in increasing or decreasing your chances for getting diabetes? Specifically, the biological component can look at how evolution and genetics may predispose someone to greater chance of having the disease and how our biology may be working for or against us in the current era and culture.
From the article, "Evolutionary and Ecological Perspectives" written by Ann McElroy, McElroy explained that the ecological approach has various methods of collecting useful data like clinical measures, ethnographic techniques, and even geographic information systems analysis while evolutionary studies range from collection of field samples, laboratory use involving diagnostic equipment, computer analysis of genetic code, as well as demographic and epidemiological data. These techniques can be utilized by medical anthropologists to understand the evolution of beneficial or harmful traits in populations. The nature of the universe is to find equilibrium between things and this is no different for human biology. When an imbalance occurs disease can follow soon after if the imbalance is not corrected. Taz Karim explained in the video lecture for the week's course materials that an adaptation can be considered patterns of behavior which allow people to cope with their surroundings. Of course, this idea of coping with surrounding can go further than just behaviors, but can stem into biological adaptations to the environment as well, as a way to keep in a natural equilibrium that would work with the principals of natural selection and evolution. |
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There is one specific example that was used in the week's lecture material that I felt needed to be incorporated into this section. The Pima Indians have a 38% prevalence rate to type II diabetes. With the use of the Thrifty Genotype Hypothesis which uses the principles of genetic mutation, natural selection,
genetic drift, and gene flow the hypothesis tries to explain how one group of individuals might have, at one point in history, developed an adaptation to their environment that allowed for better cellular fat storage in times of food shortages. This type of adaptation might have been useful in those times, but due to the style of diet in modern American Pima Indians, there is a much greater rate of obesity and associated diabetic problems. Take a look at the posted YouTube video (Top Right) about Native Americans and diabetes to see why using this approach of anthropology can address such important issues.
The biological outlook shows us some interesting disparities between ethnic groups of people. The second video titled, "Eliminating Disparities in Diabetes" has a few people interviewed and speaking about diabetes disparities. Go ahead and take a look and then check out some of the statistics below.
According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services "the burden of diabetes is much greater for minority populations than the white population. For example, 10.8 percent of non-Hispanic blacks, 10.6 percent of Mexican Americans, and 9.0 percent of American Indians have diabetes, compared with 6.2 percent of whites." There is do doubt that our cultural environment is a major part in this diabetic problem, from the journal article in Nature, Paul Zimmet, K.G.M.M. Alberti and Jonathan Shaw offer their input on this,
"Changes in human behavior and lifestyle of the last century have resulted in a dramatic increase in the incidence of diabetes worldwide. The epidemic is chiefly of type 2 diabetes and also the associated conditions known as 'diabesity' and 'metabolic syndrome'. In conjunction with genetic susceptibility, particularly in certain ethnic groups, type 2 diabetes is brought on by environmental and behavioural factors such as sedentary lifestyles, overly rich nutrition and obesity. The prevention of diabetes and control of its micro- and macrovascular complications will require an integrated, international approach if we are to see significant reduction in the huge premature morbidity and mortality it causes."
Utilizing anthropology to research these problems can help to find answers to why certain groups might be more prone to getting diabetes and how our culture has changed in the past century to cause an environment that allows this disease to proliferate within our society.
References
American Diabetes Association. "Eliminating Disparities in Diabetes." Uploaded April 22, 2009, http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SSZsF56Nlx8.
McElroy, Ann. Evolutionary and Ecological Perspectives. Encyclopedia of Medical Anthropology. (Kluwer, 2004), 31-77.
Taz Karim. "Week 2: Lecture 1." Michigan State University ANP 204- Introduction to Medical Anthropology. Accessed August 8, 2013, http://anthropology.msu.edu/anp204-us13/schedule/week-2-lecture-1/.
Karim, Taz. "Week 2: Lecture 2." Michigan State University ANP 204- Introduction to Medical Anthropology. Accessed August 8, 2013,http://anthropology.msu.edu/anp204-us13/schedule/week-2-lecture-2-2/.
Paul Zimmet, K. G. M. M. Alberti and Jonathan Shaw, "Review Article Global and Societal Implications of The Diabetes Epidemic," Nature 414 (2001): 782-787, accessed August 8, 2013, doi:10.1038/414782a.
Unnaturalcausesdoc. "Culture of Diabetes- Native American and Featurelessness." Accessed August 8, 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkpghPm7gyQ.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, "Diabetes Disparities Among Racial and Ethnic Minorities." Last updated November 2001, http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/factsheets/diabetes/diabdisp/index.html.
genetic drift, and gene flow the hypothesis tries to explain how one group of individuals might have, at one point in history, developed an adaptation to their environment that allowed for better cellular fat storage in times of food shortages. This type of adaptation might have been useful in those times, but due to the style of diet in modern American Pima Indians, there is a much greater rate of obesity and associated diabetic problems. Take a look at the posted YouTube video (Top Right) about Native Americans and diabetes to see why using this approach of anthropology can address such important issues.
The biological outlook shows us some interesting disparities between ethnic groups of people. The second video titled, "Eliminating Disparities in Diabetes" has a few people interviewed and speaking about diabetes disparities. Go ahead and take a look and then check out some of the statistics below.
According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services "the burden of diabetes is much greater for minority populations than the white population. For example, 10.8 percent of non-Hispanic blacks, 10.6 percent of Mexican Americans, and 9.0 percent of American Indians have diabetes, compared with 6.2 percent of whites." There is do doubt that our cultural environment is a major part in this diabetic problem, from the journal article in Nature, Paul Zimmet, K.G.M.M. Alberti and Jonathan Shaw offer their input on this,
"Changes in human behavior and lifestyle of the last century have resulted in a dramatic increase in the incidence of diabetes worldwide. The epidemic is chiefly of type 2 diabetes and also the associated conditions known as 'diabesity' and 'metabolic syndrome'. In conjunction with genetic susceptibility, particularly in certain ethnic groups, type 2 diabetes is brought on by environmental and behavioural factors such as sedentary lifestyles, overly rich nutrition and obesity. The prevention of diabetes and control of its micro- and macrovascular complications will require an integrated, international approach if we are to see significant reduction in the huge premature morbidity and mortality it causes."
Utilizing anthropology to research these problems can help to find answers to why certain groups might be more prone to getting diabetes and how our culture has changed in the past century to cause an environment that allows this disease to proliferate within our society.
References
American Diabetes Association. "Eliminating Disparities in Diabetes." Uploaded April 22, 2009, http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SSZsF56Nlx8.
McElroy, Ann. Evolutionary and Ecological Perspectives. Encyclopedia of Medical Anthropology. (Kluwer, 2004), 31-77.
Taz Karim. "Week 2: Lecture 1." Michigan State University ANP 204- Introduction to Medical Anthropology. Accessed August 8, 2013, http://anthropology.msu.edu/anp204-us13/schedule/week-2-lecture-1/.
Karim, Taz. "Week 2: Lecture 2." Michigan State University ANP 204- Introduction to Medical Anthropology. Accessed August 8, 2013,http://anthropology.msu.edu/anp204-us13/schedule/week-2-lecture-2-2/.
Paul Zimmet, K. G. M. M. Alberti and Jonathan Shaw, "Review Article Global and Societal Implications of The Diabetes Epidemic," Nature 414 (2001): 782-787, accessed August 8, 2013, doi:10.1038/414782a.
Unnaturalcausesdoc. "Culture of Diabetes- Native American and Featurelessness." Accessed August 8, 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkpghPm7gyQ.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, "Diabetes Disparities Among Racial and Ethnic Minorities." Last updated November 2001, http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/factsheets/diabetes/diabdisp/index.html.