hiv/aids treatment: Applied medical anthropology to the rescue
Applied anthropology is defined as the research and analysis done by anthropologists for a specific problem and client. The incorporation of anthropologists in the medical field and in global health arenas is an example of applied anthropology. Applying anthropological knowledge to local and global health issues can help health organizations to implement more effective programs, or to figure out why certain programs aren’t working. The image on the right was created by the Society for Medical Anthropology (SMA) to illustrate the numerous fields that anthropology can be applied to. Because HIV/AIDS affects so many different types of people around the world, it is vital that healthcare providers take into consideration how the disease is viewed and treated in different cultures. This is where applied anthropology is extremely useful. Anthropologists offer insightful knowledge of the cultures they are studying. They have knowledge of how different cultures affect the development and treatment of disease that other professionals might not be aware of. The social implications and treatment seeking behaviors of people infected with HIV/AIDS varies between cultures, and an anthropologist would be able to determine how to create the most effective programs with respect to these cultural differences. They would be better equipped than a doctor or government official, whose specializations are not in understanding the depths of foreign cultures. A great example of the usefulness of anthropology can be seen in the work done by Dr. Jim Yong Kim, a physician and anthropologist who has combined both skills to become one of the most influential people in fighting infectious diseases around the world. Dr. Kim was appointed as director of the World Health Organization’s HIV/AIDS department in 2004, where he focused on initiatives to help developing countries improve their treatment, prevention, and care programs. One initiative implemented by him was the “3x5 initiative” that was designed to put 3 million people in developing countries on AIDS treatment by the end of 2005. Although the goal was not met until 2007, it served to drive the treatment strategy for AIDS in Africa further and faster than anyone could have hoped. As of 2012, the initiative has treated more than 7 million Africans with HIV (Washington Post). Below is a photo of Dr. Kim visiting Africa during his development of the initiative.
Globalization has influenced the spread of HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the rise of the disease. The virus is believed to have originated in Africa, and has spread throughout the world. This can be attributed to globalization, the processes that have increased connections and interactions between all different regions of the world. However, globalization has also been useful in treating the disease. Without being able to travel and study different cultures, much of the knowledge regarding how the disease is affecting the world would not be known, or would not be easily accessible. The more knowledge that is spread about the disease, the more opportunity there is to come up with solutions in treating and containing it.
Sources:
"A Biographical Snapshot of Jim Yong Kim, Obama's Choice to Head the World Bank." The Washington Post. March 23, 2012. Accessed August 12, 2014. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/a-biographical-snapshot-of-jim-yong-kim-obamas-choice-to-head-the-world-bank/2012/03/23/gIQAwH3ZWS_story.html.
"Jim Yong Kim." Jim Yong Kim. Accessed August 12, 2014. http://jimyongkim.com/.
"The MacMillan Center Newsletter." The MacMillan Center Newsletter. January 1, 2009. Accessed August 12, 2014. http://www.yale.edu/macmillan/newsletter_fall09/medanthro.html.
Sources:
"A Biographical Snapshot of Jim Yong Kim, Obama's Choice to Head the World Bank." The Washington Post. March 23, 2012. Accessed August 12, 2014. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/a-biographical-snapshot-of-jim-yong-kim-obamas-choice-to-head-the-world-bank/2012/03/23/gIQAwH3ZWS_story.html.
"Jim Yong Kim." Jim Yong Kim. Accessed August 12, 2014. http://jimyongkim.com/.
"The MacMillan Center Newsletter." The MacMillan Center Newsletter. January 1, 2009. Accessed August 12, 2014. http://www.yale.edu/macmillan/newsletter_fall09/medanthro.html.