200k views
1 vote
The interpretive medical anthropology approach distinguishes between disease as a physiological state and "illness," which they define as something constructed by the knowledge and values systems of the sufferer. Critical medical anthropologists often argue that disease refers to a sickness that is diagnosed by biomedicine and "illness" as:

User Drenl
by
7.5k points

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

The interpretive medical anthropology approach distinguishes between disease and illness, with disease referring to a physiological state and illness being the sociocultural experience of health disruption. Illness is shaped by society and its perception affects an individual's well-being. Malady encompasses disease, illness, and sickness.

Step-by-step explanation:

The interpretive medical anthropology approach distinguishes between disease as a physiological state and "illness," which they define as something constructed by the knowledge and values systems of the sufferer. Critics argue that disease refers to a sickness diagnosed by biomedicine and "illness" as an individual's sociocultural experience of a disruption to their physical or mental well-being. Illness is shaped by how it is viewed, discussed, and explained by society, while sickness refers to the social perception of another person's ill health and affects their social well-being and how they are treated by others. Malady is a term used to encompass disease, illness, and sickness.

User Greg Tarsa
by
8.7k points
Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.