The Biological and Ecological Approaches in Medical Anthropology
The Biological and Ecological approaches in Medical Anthropology can be very useful in studying illness. The Biological approach takes a close look into the biological and behavioral variations in the human population while the Ecological approach looks into the environmental effect on human populations and their culture. The major components/themes of these approaches are that they look into either the biological factors that affect people and their culture or the environmental factors that affect people and their cultures. These approaches can be incredibly useful in understanding epilepsy. Through the use of the Biological approach anthologists can understand the “biological pathways that lead to epilepsy” and the mutations of genes that lead to the variation in epileptic conditions (Noebels). Through the use of the Ecological approach anthropologists can begin to understand the way environment (not only physical, but emotional) affects people with epilepsy.
In the article “Social and cultural representation of Epilepsy in elderly aged 65 and more, during a community survey in two French Departments (Haute-vienne and Creuse)” views on epilepsy by the elderly (aged 65 and more) are compared to that of younger people and though this article focuses on the stigmatic views of epilepsy there are some interesting biological and ecological factors to consider in this article. In this article “the analysis of understanding models of epileptic seizure in different cultural groups, showed the existence of major theories to explain the disease in traditional areas: magical, contagion, “biomedical” "(Rafael). From this we understand that a biomedical and biological model of epilepsy is present in how some of the interviewees view epilepsy. What was most striking though was that the cultural and social beliefs stemming from the theories that explain epilepsy that I mentioned above (magical, contagion, “biomedical”) have created stigma and prejudice towards those who have this illness. This causes the frequent exclusion from certain environments, such as that of the professional world. In also marginalizes patients who have epilepsy as well (Rafael). For those diagnosed with epilepsy the stigmatization and marginalization changes their social environment drastically. Within the ecological perspective political and cultural factors influence the relationship people have with their environment. It could be possible that older generations in this study have a different view on epilepsy because of the political and/or cultural environment they grew up in. Earlier while talking about the Biological approach I mentioned the variation in epileptic conditions. Below is a YouTube video that describes the classifications of epileptic seizures. |
Citations:
“Classification of Epileptic Seizures,” YouTube Video, 2:59, posted by “UCBEAction,” October 18, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zXFUIjY5xU.
Karim, Taz, “Week 2: Lecture 1,” ANP 204: Introduction to Medical Anthropology. http://anthropology.msu.edu/anp204-us14/schedule/week-2-lecture-1/
Noebels, Jeffery L, “The Biology of Epilepsy Genes,” Annual Review of Neuroscience Vol 26: (2003): 599-625. Accessed 9 August 2014, doi: 10.1146/annurev.neuro.26.010302.081210
Rafael, Dubreuil, Prado, Burbaud, Clement, Preux, Nubukpo, P, “Social and cultural representation of Epilepsy in elderly aged 65 and more, during a community survey in two French Departments (Haute-vienne and Creuse),” Annals of Neurosciences Vol 17, No 2 (2010): 60-62. Accessed 9 August 2014, doi: 10.5214/ans.0972-7531.1017203
“Classification of Epileptic Seizures,” YouTube Video, 2:59, posted by “UCBEAction,” October 18, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zXFUIjY5xU.
Karim, Taz, “Week 2: Lecture 1,” ANP 204: Introduction to Medical Anthropology. http://anthropology.msu.edu/anp204-us14/schedule/week-2-lecture-1/
Noebels, Jeffery L, “The Biology of Epilepsy Genes,” Annual Review of Neuroscience Vol 26: (2003): 599-625. Accessed 9 August 2014, doi: 10.1146/annurev.neuro.26.010302.081210
Rafael, Dubreuil, Prado, Burbaud, Clement, Preux, Nubukpo, P, “Social and cultural representation of Epilepsy in elderly aged 65 and more, during a community survey in two French Departments (Haute-vienne and Creuse),” Annals of Neurosciences Vol 17, No 2 (2010): 60-62. Accessed 9 August 2014, doi: 10.5214/ans.0972-7531.1017203