The field of Medical Anthropology studies health problems and healing systems associated with different societies and cultures. In order to successfully accomplish this goal, the field draws knowledge from clinical and social sciences. Over time, Medical Anthropologists have managed to contribute important insights into the fields of human health and health services. The field uses many different theoretical paradigms to add to its existing Knowledge. Some theoretical paradigms such as ethnographic description and analysis of healing systems have been part of medical anthropology for a long time. However, continued advances in the field has led to the emergences of new paradigms such as critical medical anthropology[1]. This work looks at the main medical anthropology approaches by focusing on Malaria.
Ecological and Biological Approaches
Malaria affects 95 countries around the world. Because of global warming, it is expected that the malaria-carrying mosquitos will inhabit previously cold areas. The development of urbanization especially in malaria hot-spots such as Sub-Saharan Africa will expedite the transfer of the malaria causing parasite from one victim to another. However, this has also eased access to healthcare because malaria is curable.
Ethnomedical Approach
Malaria has to be viewed as a disease; as causing genuine biological problems. The focus will be on determining the specific symptoms associated with the disease, and finding effective ways to overcome them. Understanding malaria as a genuine biological problem will facilitate in the development and provision of medical solutions. Deviating from such an understanding overlooks the nature of the disease, and its determined causes.
Experiential Approach
Because malaria affects people in many different cultures, there are many different factors to consider about the subjective experience of the disease. Although malaria causes anemia and heightened risk of hemorrhage, premature birth and low birth-weight babies in pregnant mothers, pregnancy in some cultures is a difficult issue to discuss[2]. In order to treat malaria, it will be important to overcome any barriers to medical attention that exist in different cultures. Because the disease can easily be treated, the main focus will be to get patients to medical centers. It is important to understand how sick people are treated in different cultures.
Critical Approach
In order to understand malaria, it will be important to determine its causes. Malaria is caused by a parasite that spends part of its life cycle in both humans and the Anopheles mosquito. When infected mosquito bites people, malaria rapidly multiplies in the red blood cells, and the liver. From the critical approach, it is important to understand the cause of the disease, how it is transmitted, and how to treat it. For example, the use of mosquito nets is an effective way to prevent the infection of humans with the malaria parasite.
Applied Approach
Because of the influences inside and outside of biomedicine, the way concepts like health, illness, and the human body are understood is constantly changing. These changes are significant in determining the overall applied practice. In the case of malaria, different approaches have been found to be effective. It is important to use different strategies to deal with the parasite; the infections to humans should be restricted, medication should be available, and the subjective experience should be positive.
Conclusion
In the case of malaria, the critical approach is likely to be the most effective at realizing the most desirable results. This is because it is largely the most dominant system of ethno medicine available to the wide range of cultures affected by the malaria parasite[3].
[1] Zuckerman, M. K. 2010. “Medical Anthropology.” Current Anthropology 51 (1): 5.
[2] Rich, Stephen M., and Fabian H. Leendertz. 2009. “The Origin of Malignant Malaria.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106 (35): 14902-14907.
[3] Inhorn, Marcia C. 2007. “Medical Anthropology at the Intersections.” Medical Anthropology Quarterly 21 (3): 249-255.