A Cultural Epidemiology Review

Medical anthropology and epidemiology: a collaborative venture for mental health research in India By Chittaranjan Subudhia and Ramakrishna Biswal

The main reason research into mental illness is so far behind other health-related fields because many factors influence it. Culture has the greatest impact, as beliefs, practices, and background significantly affect how patients approach their mental health. In India, this is especially common, since over two-thirds of patients first seek traditional medicine for help.

One viable solution is cultural epidemiology. It is a framework for understanding and addressing mental health issues within a culturally rich environment. Its approach is based on both medical anthropological and epidemiological principles and methods. It is considered a holistic approach because it requires studies to follow both anthropological and epidemiological guidelines. It also emphasizes the importance of the local context, meaning it compares patients and their mental health experiences with their local socioeconomic surroundings. Cultural epidemiology provides researchers with a way to explore experiences, impacts, and behaviors related to mental illness. It also examines not only the patient but also the surrounding community to manage the illness experience better.

Cultural epidemiology connects two complementary methodologies, epidemiology and medical anthropology. Epidemiology focuses mainly on the distribution and determinants of health-related states within particular populations, while medical anthropology takes a more culturally aware perspective on health and disease. The reasoning behind bridging the two is that epidemiology lacks the more socio-cultural aspect of illness, and medical anthropology lacks the more analytical parts of illness.

One example of cultural epidemiology is the Kuru epidemic among the Fore people of Papua New Guinea. At first glance, it appeared similar to sporadic CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease); however, it was highly prevalent among women, with little to no cases among men. Using cultural epidemiology, researchers discovered that the disease was spreading through a funerary custom in which the living consume parts of their deceased relatives as a mark of respect. It spread when a woman from an infected village married into a family from another village. The epidemic declined after the custom was abandoned in the 1960's.

Cultural epidemiology is highly acknowledged because it utilizes different methods of conducting mental health studies, as well as providing pragmatic approaches to effectively access better mental health care systems, especially in culturally diverse countries like India. It is also widely endorsed and applied in interdisciplinary research studies relating to mental illness, as well as others.

A variety of medical supplements and herbal ingredients arranged to highlight the intersection of traditional remedies and modern health practices, illustrating the concept of cultural epidemiology.