Hello, this page is all about the critical approach to medical anthropology. The critical approach looks at the role of biomedicine in our culture and the authority it has, as understood from lecture 5.1 by Taz Karim. Biomedicine attempts to rely on looking at biology and physiology to explain health and that, especially in Western culture, it is a universal truth that can be applied to all humans regardless of cultural background. The fact is, biomedicine is just a dominant form of healthcare in Western society and it is not a global universal truth. Medicine in the United States, for example, had been driven by certain cultural events and cultural attitudes throughout the years which has left it as the dominant authority in this country. Since biomedicine is intimately wrapped up with our culture it can by anthropologists . Specifically there are three ways to study biomedicine: look at the institutional history, understand the language of biomedical facts, and analyze the rituals of biomedicine. As outlined by Taz in lecture 5.2, there are two distinct trends that can be seen in biomedicine since the 1950s. Medicalization and biomedicalization have changed the role of the medical field from viewing health in terms of cells and organs to viewing health more so at the genetic level, molecules and proteins focusing on the enhancement of bodies as opposed to just healing the body to normal state.
The applied approach can be used to understand the history of diabetes within biomedicine as well. Below is a video posted about some of the beginning history of diabetes.
The applied approach can be used to understand the history of diabetes within biomedicine as well. Below is a video posted about some of the beginning history of diabetes.
As can be seen from the video, initially diabetes was a very confusing and deadly disease, but when more research was done to discover the role of insulin and the pancreas, biomedicine took on the role of responsibility to continue research. Initially the patients needed to test their own urine for blood sugar levels and inject insulin into their blood stream, but of course this method would soon change with the advent of more advanced medical technologies throughout the next few decades. Diabetes went from being a total mystery to a understood disease within the realm of biomedicine, but the public is still vastly unaware of what diabetes is even though it affects so many people world wide.
Today, I would say that diabetes has fallen into medicalization and not biomedicalization for the reasoning of treatment methods, even more advanced ones, are aimed at correcting the problems of blood sugar levels with insulin and not really working to the enhancement of the individual. Then again, it may be a stretch, but if a person is prone to diabetes and will have it regardless of lifestyle, then wouldn't the use of medical technologies be considered an enhancement of the natural body and its function? I would still tend to think that diabetes is more medicalization because treatment it is not frivolous or unnecessary, unlike plastic surgery for changing your nose style as an example.
Take a look at this second video posted on YouTube which features Wilford Brimley speaking about his experience of diabetes and how much emphasis is placed on working with his doctor and following his doctors instructions to live a normal and better life.
Today, I would say that diabetes has fallen into medicalization and not biomedicalization for the reasoning of treatment methods, even more advanced ones, are aimed at correcting the problems of blood sugar levels with insulin and not really working to the enhancement of the individual. Then again, it may be a stretch, but if a person is prone to diabetes and will have it regardless of lifestyle, then wouldn't the use of medical technologies be considered an enhancement of the natural body and its function? I would still tend to think that diabetes is more medicalization because treatment it is not frivolous or unnecessary, unlike plastic surgery for changing your nose style as an example.
Take a look at this second video posted on YouTube which features Wilford Brimley speaking about his experience of diabetes and how much emphasis is placed on working with his doctor and following his doctors instructions to live a normal and better life.
"We will help you find solutions to these problems." Wilford is referring to liberty medical, of course. From a social aspect, diabetes is becoming more and more understood throughout our culture. Advertisements and educational material such as with one posted above are helping to get the message out to the masses and help them seek out medical treatment options. Diabetes is viewed as a biological problem and needs medical treatment, especially insulin for regulation of blood glucose levels. I believe that the increased number of people who have diabetes around the world says something in itself about how cultures have changed and the way we look at healthcare. The way we have mass produced foods and altered our diets have significantly impacted the obesity rates in the United States, of course with the increase in obesity there is also an increase in diabetes. I think generally that Americans view their body as machines with the doctors being the mechanic and issues like obesity and diabetes are fixable or manageable because of the medicalization nature of such diseases now. I also think that there are economic factors that influence the way we think or perceive an illness in our culture. For example, diseases that get the most funding for research generally have the most public awareness, things like heart disease and cancer are the big killers in our country and while diabetes is a significant problem, it is kept on the back burner more so than other diseases.
"Diabetes – and most non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – has been largely neglected, due to lack of financial and human capital, lack of fully-informed key decision makers, and orientation of health systems toward acute care. Donors tend to fund issues that are more easily addressed, such as vaccines and treatment of acute diseases, and want to see rapid results. In developing countries where infectious diseases persist, chronic diseases are viewed as secondary in importance." As quoted from Karen Siegel and KM Venkat Narayan from the Globalization and Health Journal.
"Diabetes – and most non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – has been largely neglected, due to lack of financial and human capital, lack of fully-informed key decision makers, and orientation of health systems toward acute care. Donors tend to fund issues that are more easily addressed, such as vaccines and treatment of acute diseases, and want to see rapid results. In developing countries where infectious diseases persist, chronic diseases are viewed as secondary in importance." As quoted from Karen Siegel and KM Venkat Narayan from the Globalization and Health Journal.
References
fartsnffer. "Wilford Brimley On His Diabetes - Original Video," Uploaded December 10, 2010, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFIsoq63lwo.
Karen Siegel and KM Venkat Narayan. "The Unite for Diabetes campaign: Overcoming constraints to find a global policy solution," Globalization and Health 4:3 (2008), accessed August 14, 2013, doi:10.1186/1744-8603-4-3.
Taz Karim. "Week 5: Lecture 1." Michigan State University ANP 204- Introduction to Medical
Anthropology. Accessed August 13, 2013, http://anthropology.msu.edu/anp204-us13/schedule/week-5-lecture-1/.
Taz Karim. "Week 5: Lecture 2." Michigan State University ANP 204- Introduction to Medical Anthropology. Accessed August 13,
2013 http://anthropology.msu.edu/anp204-us13/schedule/week-5-lecture-2/.
Tucker plasse. "History of Diabetes," Accessed August 14, 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJFNOBNxl-Y.