Ethnomedical Anthropology and the Importance of Culture and Family on Down Syndrome Individuals
The ethnomedical approach focuses on culture and its effect on illness and healing. It looks first at how illnesses are identified and conceptualized in a culture, and then looks at the different way these illnesses are treated. Additionally, ethnomedical anthropologists study different explanatory models of health and sickness, as well as compare different health systems and their interactions with one another.
Arthur Kleinman developed the idea of these explanatory models as a way for an individual to make sense of their illness and healing process. In the case of Down Syndrome, I think that these explanatory models are important for not only the individual themselves, but also for their care givers, loved ones, and most of all parents. Those suffering from Down Syndrome will be happiest and able to integrate into society furthest if they have an understanding of their illness and how it effects their life. It often takes time and help for them to learn that they are different, but that these differences are NOT a bad thing! Families often seek help in the form of therapists, and medical doctors and experts in the professional sector to ensure that the individual doesn't have any serious malformations or complications, and also to help increase their physical and mental development. Individuals and loved ones can also join support groups or other forms of therapy in the popular sector to help them make sense of their situation.
Although Down Syndrome is not a CBS, or cultural bound syndrome, because it occurs in essentially equal proportions around the world, culture and family plays a huge role in this illness. As you can see from the chart below, Down Syndrome effects races and genders in fairly equal rates. These differences, however, are not because of race, but more of cultural practice, access to medical care, and maternal age. In certain countries, rates of Down Syndrome are much less, due to the fact that women tend to start having children at a much younger age than say, the US or Canada. Also, heart defects as well as other complications are very common in Down Syndrome babies. In countries with poor health care, the babies do not have access to the care they need, and often do not survive.
Rates of Down Syndrome are affected by culture, but the quality of life and development of DS individuals is also highly dependent on family and culture. Below, a video is posted that shows how much of a difference spectacular parents can make in the life and development of a mentally challenged child. Different cultures view illness and disease differently, particularly mental illness. How they view and conceptualize the body can drastically change treatment practices. In an article found in Medical Anthropology Quarterly the body is conceptualized in three ways. In terms of Down Syndrome, I think the most common conceptualizations across cultures would be of the individual and social bodies (Scheper-Hughes). Cultures that view the mind and body as an art form or temple respect the differences of DS persons, and accept them into society, or as a machine, that with help and patience can be fixed. In these situations, DS individuals find the help and treatment they need to reach their full potential, and will not face the inequality they would have in other cultures that are less accepting.
The ethnomedical approach focuses on culture and its effect on illness and healing. It looks first at how illnesses are identified and conceptualized in a culture, and then looks at the different way these illnesses are treated. Additionally, ethnomedical anthropologists study different explanatory models of health and sickness, as well as compare different health systems and their interactions with one another.
Arthur Kleinman developed the idea of these explanatory models as a way for an individual to make sense of their illness and healing process. In the case of Down Syndrome, I think that these explanatory models are important for not only the individual themselves, but also for their care givers, loved ones, and most of all parents. Those suffering from Down Syndrome will be happiest and able to integrate into society furthest if they have an understanding of their illness and how it effects their life. It often takes time and help for them to learn that they are different, but that these differences are NOT a bad thing! Families often seek help in the form of therapists, and medical doctors and experts in the professional sector to ensure that the individual doesn't have any serious malformations or complications, and also to help increase their physical and mental development. Individuals and loved ones can also join support groups or other forms of therapy in the popular sector to help them make sense of their situation.
Although Down Syndrome is not a CBS, or cultural bound syndrome, because it occurs in essentially equal proportions around the world, culture and family plays a huge role in this illness. As you can see from the chart below, Down Syndrome effects races and genders in fairly equal rates. These differences, however, are not because of race, but more of cultural practice, access to medical care, and maternal age. In certain countries, rates of Down Syndrome are much less, due to the fact that women tend to start having children at a much younger age than say, the US or Canada. Also, heart defects as well as other complications are very common in Down Syndrome babies. In countries with poor health care, the babies do not have access to the care they need, and often do not survive.
Rates of Down Syndrome are affected by culture, but the quality of life and development of DS individuals is also highly dependent on family and culture. Below, a video is posted that shows how much of a difference spectacular parents can make in the life and development of a mentally challenged child. Different cultures view illness and disease differently, particularly mental illness. How they view and conceptualize the body can drastically change treatment practices. In an article found in Medical Anthropology Quarterly the body is conceptualized in three ways. In terms of Down Syndrome, I think the most common conceptualizations across cultures would be of the individual and social bodies (Scheper-Hughes). Cultures that view the mind and body as an art form or temple respect the differences of DS persons, and accept them into society, or as a machine, that with help and patience can be fixed. In these situations, DS individuals find the help and treatment they need to reach their full potential, and will not face the inequality they would have in other cultures that are less accepting.
Scheper-Hughes, Nancy, and Margaret M. Lock. "The Mindful Body: A Prolegomenon To Future Work In Medical Anthropology." Medical Anthropology Quarterly 1, no. 1 (1987): 6-41. |