Final answer:
Medical anthropology applies anthropological methods to study the impact of culture on health and illness. It is deeply intertwined with understanding cultural beliefs and societal contexts to improve health outcomes and create effective health policies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct option is B) It studies the impact of culture on health and illness. Medical anthropology is a discipline at the intersection of anthropology and medicine, which applies anthropological theories and methods to understand health, illness, and medical practices within cultural contexts. Medical anthropologists examine how cultural beliefs, society, and history shape medical practices and health outcomes. Since the discipline's expansion post-World War II, medical anthropologists have been vital in health initiatives worldwide, aiding in the creation of culturally sensitive health practices and policies.
Medical anthropology employs a multitude of methods, including ethnographic fieldwork and statistical analysis, to study the biocultural aspects of health. Major studies and theories in the field are often traced back to the foundational work of Franz Boas. Medical anthropologists work in various settings, from clinical environments to nonprofit organizations and government entities such as the CDC and WHO, utilizing their unique insight to improve health outcomes. Evolutionary medicine and biocultural, symbolic, and religious perspectives under medical anthropology investigate how culture and biology interplay in health-related phenomena.