16.9k views
2 votes
Health systems are not simply about disease, biology and how to convince people to take medicine. to an anthropologist using the interpretivist approach, they are also very much imbued with religious overtones

1 Answer

7 votes

Medical anthropology is a sub-field of anthropology based on biological, cultural, social and linguistic anthropology whose goal is to better understand all the conditions of the disease, especially the epidemic. It is clear that it is present in poor areas, with low conditions for maintaining minimum hygiene, but not only here. It exists in highly developed environments as a prevention of many diseases of modern society, such as mental illnesses, but not only of them.

Not rarely medical anthropology is imbued with religious tones.

Books on religion and mental health are based on belief, anthropology takes into account the notion of belief, especially when discussing religious beliefs. There is a touch point, although sometimes it comes to extremes.

The extant literature about religion and mental health mainly focused on belief, not on experience. Anthropologists have generally taken into account the concept of belief, especially when discussing religious beliefs.

An extreme example is the teachings of shamans who claim that many mental illnesses known in medicine, in fact, are not diseases, but are the messages of gods who transmit messages to the world through their messengers. So, according to them, they are not diseases but special gifts that help the overall spiritual healing of people and the finding of the spiritual path.

User Zgana
by
6.8k points