Final answer:
Medical anthropology is the field that bridges the gap between biological and cultural understandings of health, focusing on the impact of social and cultural factors on health outcomes and the social construction of health and illness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The field that unites biological and cultural anthropologists in the study of disease, health problems, health care systems, and theories about illness in different cultures and ethnic groups is known as medical anthropology. Medical anthropologists navigate cultural definitions of health, sickness, and illness by understanding how social experiences and cultural definitions influence perceptions and treatments of maladies. They employ ethnographic research methods to gain insights into the cultural context of health and use a combination of objective and subjective approaches to understand health within different cultures.
Medical anthropology has evolved significantly since World War II, with anthropologists partnering with public health initiatives and organizations such as the World Health Organization. This collaboration has illustrated the impact of cultural and social factors on health outcomes, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through understanding a variety of ethnomedical practices and health systems, medical anthropologists address global health issues and work to improve public health by considering cultural nuances and the effects of social inequalities on health care.