Introducing medical anthropology, 2ND Edition(Merrill Singer & Hans Essay

Introducing medical anthropology, 2ND Edition(Merrill Singer & Hans Baer) Chapters 3 Only - Essay Example The field has evolved from simple and cultural treatment practices to the development of modern clinics and hospital to the campaigns on disease prevention (Singer and Hans, 127). In our daily lives, people confuse the meaning of disease and illness. Indeed a lot of ink and papers have been used to jot down the meaning of the two with the aim of distinguishing the two. A disease can be defined as a natural entity that can be identified through various bodily signs such as high temperatures and emotional discomfort among others amongst others. An illness, on the other hand, constitutes a cultural construction that can be identified only through interpretive activities and narratives of the signs (Singer and Hans, 93). The distinction between a disease and an illness is through the identification of the signs and symptoms. Diseases and illnesses affect the health of a person or a society in case of an outbreak of a disease. A society can be called healthy or sick not only because of a disease, but also because of their social behaviors. Thus, health is the complete physical, mental and social wellbeing in absence of a disease or infirmity that promotes life in highest satisfaction Anthropologist studies medicine holistically in terms of modern and cultural medicine used in all social environments. They study the theories of illness and their typologies in order to offer typologies of healing systems (Singer and Hans, 186). The environment and cultural belief affect the treatment of certain diseases. It is important to encourage patients with unique illness to narrate their experience to healers and medical practitioners to offer understanding of the diseases. Anthropology also acknowledges the importance of cultural treatment because diseases existed before the invention of medicine. The study of chronic diseases which might cause disability to a person in society also helps to understand why people stigmatize others in society. Anthropology also encourages