Final answer:
In informal health-related interviews, patients have significant control over the conversation, contributing to a relaxed atmosphere where they can open up more freely. Body language is also crucial for interviewers to gauge the patient's comfort and honesty.
Step-by-step explanation:
In medical or health-related interviews, particularly those that are informal, the patient often controls a significant portion of the conversation. During such an informal interview, the exchange is more like a guided conversation where the participant has more leverage in directing the flow and bringing up topics they feel are important. This can lead to a more relaxed atmosphere and can help in obtaining information that might not surface in a more structured setting. Interviewers must pay attention to body language, as it can provide insights into the subject's feelings and honesty, which is especially pertinent in medical anthropology. A patient's narrative in the context of their illness can reveal a lot and is inherently personal. Such narratives are critical in understanding the social construction of sickness and how it affects the individual. It is important for the interviewer to create open-ended questions that encourage free and extensive responses, fostering an environment where the patient feels comfortable to share in-depth information without feeling restricted to yes-or-no answers.