The critical approach of medical anthropology depicts the latest and most developed areas of healing and a greater focus of present biomedicine, universal health care. Though the original sense of medicine was to use a factual sense of healing making the absence of disease and sanitary procedures a priority, it became much more culturally influenced, bringing a new type of healing known as biomedicine. The cultural context regarded more to the economic, political, and social factors that began to shape this critical approach with new financial constraints as well as the political limitations involved in a complex social network of biomedicine.
Knowing the presence of the critical approach, CHD has shown all the qualities of a critical approach as first little was known about heart health. There is now a great influence from culture, starting with our social interactions and how the media has indulged on massive amounts of advertising for unhealthy fast foods and snacks. These interactions create a desire for these energy dense foods which if consumed in the quantity that the corporations wish, your health will ultimately be at risk. After this, it is clear that in some instances a persons health can be greatly compromised and can experience symptoms of CHD. Then, it is only a matter of time before biomedicine intervenes and causes economic trauma as well. This can also lead to a political dilemma as stereotypes and ethnic minorities may be affected unaware of their disposition in the healthcare system. Below is a video that displays a short educational value of CHD including treatment and symptoms(1).
This illness seems to keep growing and prevalent among the American culture as energy rich food sources have become cheap and affordable to just about anyone regardless of socioeconomic status. Even though this is a prevalent illness which is a leading disease affecting the American culture, it is still displayed by the media with an attractive presence of young, good looking people in advertisements promoting the consumption of unhealthy foods and drinks. Along with unhealthy food, it is equally to blame the tobacco and alcoholic beverage companies as well because they promote their products even more with sex appeal and humor in their advertisements such as the one below(2). It is obvious that our values are not in the interest of health, but the interest for profit and capital gain.
Citations:
1."Coronary Heart Disease Treatment and Symptoms." YouTube video, 4:33. Posted by "MainMDcom." April 22, 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROKzTsL3wO8
2."John Kitses" Picture. Accessed August 14, 2013. http://kitses.com/design.html
1."Coronary Heart Disease Treatment and Symptoms." YouTube video, 4:33. Posted by "MainMDcom." April 22, 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROKzTsL3wO8
2."John Kitses" Picture. Accessed August 14, 2013. http://kitses.com/design.html