Applied Approach
The applied approach to anthropology encompasses a broad variety of areas of studies that includes global health, clinical studies, government interference, and industry. These areas effectively study the “bigger picture” in order to completely understand a disease. This approach can include things such as research and analysis for a specific problem or client. Also, it can deal with things such as starting new health plans and the evaluation of initial programs. There are many theories and methods involved in applied medical anthropology as well that look at micro and macro levels of data collection---everything from living with the patients to conducting research in a hospital-like setting.
The applied approach to anthropology encompasses a broad variety of areas of studies that includes global health, clinical studies, government interference, and industry. These areas effectively study the “bigger picture” in order to completely understand a disease. This approach can include things such as research and analysis for a specific problem or client. Also, it can deal with things such as starting new health plans and the evaluation of initial programs. There are many theories and methods involved in applied medical anthropology as well that look at micro and macro levels of data collection---everything from living with the patients to conducting research in a hospital-like setting.
Globalization
Globalization includes many processes that are intensifying social relations and independence. With this comes a series of complex interactions between cultures, economic systems, political organizations and planetary ecology. When it comes to OCD, “OCD is a prime example of globalization, as it is so universal” (Robert Collie 2005). This disorder is characterized by actions that could occur in just about any cultural setting. While it does take unique forms across cultures, OCD reminds us that humans are “both uniform and highly individuated” (Robert Collie 2005). As globalization occurs, areas of the world become more industrialized and overrun by technology. This creates a standardization of procedure for people who might not be used to the “American way of life”. This can cause a great amount of stress for people who are not used to living like this. Stress can greatly increase the chance of OCD occurring as people complete rituals and compulsions as a way to “hold on to the normalcy” of their life. |
This graph illustrates the decline in psychiatric help over the years. As Pasacreta stated, patients are receiving less and less help as the availability for mental health services declines (American Hospitals Association 2010).
|
As far as mental health goes, it seems that globalization “limits support and increases stress” (Jeannie Pasacreta 2014). Treatment is becoming more necessary but harder to come by because of the decrease in aid and services for mental health patients. There seems to be a focus on big business when it comes to treatment. There is a stigma that prescription drug companies are where the focus should be, rather than psychiatrists, who can provide therapy for these patients on a personal level. Globalization has lead to the industrialization of treatment, which is not benefitting patients with OCD.
Applied Anthropologists in Bali
A team of anthropologists saw Bali, Indonesia as the starting point to investigate if OCD was indeed stagnate across cultures. They began by studying the illness experience of 19 patients in Bali. They started with data collection methods of the macro level by becoming very close with their patients in order to truly understand the methods behind their OCD. They also took into account the culture of their patients as a whole, the macro level, in order to investigate how their OCD symptoms differed from people in other areas of the world. This included such things as surveys and epidemiological information. Also, these anthropologists used a variety of theories and person-centered ethnographic techniques. Together, they found that frequent obsessions for the people of Bali were centered on their social needs to know information about the people around them. This included information such as their class status and identity. Obsessions about witchcraft were also common (Robert Lemelson 2003). Therefore, OCD does vary across cultures and medical anthropologists are best suited to study such differences. This is because they are trained in a variety of anthropological approaches that give them a well-rounded view of a disease. |
This is a picture of a Balinese dancer in a witch costume. Witches are a prominent focus in Balinese mythology and, like usual, obsessions in OCD are exaggerations of normal, every day behavior. Therefore, witches often become part of the obsessions of OCD patients in Bali (Learn NC 2014).
|
Advantages of a Medical Anthropologist
Medical anthropologists can offer a variety of services to doctors, government officials and business owners such as pharmaceutical companies that greatly increased their understanding of a particular disease. For example, medical anthropologist can aid doctors in better understanding their patients needs. A doctor might think that a patient has avoided treatment for so long because they were in denial about their disease. The real problem could be that the patient cannot financially afford to see a doctor and was putting off the visit because they do not want to fall further in debt. A medical anthropologist could shine light on this issue for the doctor so they could better understand the life of their patient.
Also, medical anthropologists could be of aid to government officials. For example, the government could try and pass a reform so that birth control becomes cheaper and more available to the poor in order to decrease the number of unplanned pregnancies. This program could fail if the poor is made up mostly of a particular culture of people who do not believe in taking birth control. This is where a medical anthropologist would come in to better help the government create programs that will work across cultures.
Medical anthropologists can offer a variety of services to doctors, government officials and business owners such as pharmaceutical companies that greatly increased their understanding of a particular disease. For example, medical anthropologist can aid doctors in better understanding their patients needs. A doctor might think that a patient has avoided treatment for so long because they were in denial about their disease. The real problem could be that the patient cannot financially afford to see a doctor and was putting off the visit because they do not want to fall further in debt. A medical anthropologist could shine light on this issue for the doctor so they could better understand the life of their patient.
Also, medical anthropologists could be of aid to government officials. For example, the government could try and pass a reform so that birth control becomes cheaper and more available to the poor in order to decrease the number of unplanned pregnancies. This program could fail if the poor is made up mostly of a particular culture of people who do not believe in taking birth control. This is where a medical anthropologist would come in to better help the government create programs that will work across cultures.
Bibliography
“Balinese Dancer Advances In Rangda Witch Costume.” Learn NC. Last modified in 2014. http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/4539
Collie, Robert M. Obsessive-Compulsicve Disorder: A Guide for Friends, Family, & Pastors. (New York, 2005), http://books.google.com/books?id=hxhIAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA114&lpg=PA114&dq=globalization+of+OCD&source=bl&ots=BaBTJSgZEk&sig=VYMqHl0Qd6UNjszZqN_hMmm1UDM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mwXpU4iBN8-XyATNhYKQBA&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=globalization%20of%20OCD&f=false
Robert Lemelson. “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Bali: The Cultural Shaping of a Neuropsychiatric Disorder.” PubMed.gov. Last modified September, 2003. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14649851
“Total Number of Psychiatric Units in U.S. Hospitals and Total Number of Freestanding Psychiatric Hospitals in U.S.” American Hospitals Association. Last Modified in 2010. http://www.msnbc.com/all/no-beds-the-mentally-ill
“Balinese Dancer Advances In Rangda Witch Costume.” Learn NC. Last modified in 2014. http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/4539
Collie, Robert M. Obsessive-Compulsicve Disorder: A Guide for Friends, Family, & Pastors. (New York, 2005), http://books.google.com/books?id=hxhIAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA114&lpg=PA114&dq=globalization+of+OCD&source=bl&ots=BaBTJSgZEk&sig=VYMqHl0Qd6UNjszZqN_hMmm1UDM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mwXpU4iBN8-XyATNhYKQBA&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=globalization%20of%20OCD&f=false
Robert Lemelson. “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Bali: The Cultural Shaping of a Neuropsychiatric Disorder.” PubMed.gov. Last modified September, 2003. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14649851
“Total Number of Psychiatric Units in U.S. Hospitals and Total Number of Freestanding Psychiatric Hospitals in U.S.” American Hospitals Association. Last Modified in 2010. http://www.msnbc.com/all/no-beds-the-mentally-ill