Final answer:
The statement "You just had to know your normals" highlights the need for medical professionals to recognize that normal health indicators may differ across racial and cultural backgrounds, particularly when assessing dark-skinned patients. It underscores the importance of culturally-appropriate interpretations and practices in healthcare.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase "You just had to know your normals" in the context of cultural and environmental considerations for dark-skinned patients refers to a professional understanding that normal health indicators can vary based on racial and cultural backgrounds. Professionals must recognize that standard medical procedures, such as assessing skin conditions or symptoms, might require different interpretations when considering skin color, as it often reflects an evolutionary adaptation rather than contemporary socioeconomic status. This concept echoes the importance of acknowledging the impact of the environment on the development of culture and medicine as per medical ecology, and the need for medical professionals to be aware of the different meanings of symbols and practices in health and medicine across cultures, as suggested by the cultural systems model. Critical medical anthropology (CMA) goes even further to analyze how social inequalities affect health outcomes, advising that medical policy must be adjusted to account for these differences.