Ethnomedicine: Religion Ethnomedicine: Religion and Healingand Healing

Chapter 6Chapter 6

Lehmann textLehmann text

EthnomedicineEthnomedicine

Importance of cultureImportance of culture Universality of cure and cause of diseases with Universality of cure and cause of diseases with

religious basisreligious basis Types of causation for diseaseTypes of causation for disease World Health OrganizationWorld Health Organization Intercultural contact & diseasesIntercultural contact & diseases

Contact film (Brazil)Contact film (Brazil) Rejection to Western medicineRejection to Western medicine

EthnomedicineEthnomedicine

Applied anthropologistsApplied anthropologists Advantage & disadvantage to health care systemsAdvantage & disadvantage to health care systems Natural vs. supernatural explanationsNatural vs. supernatural explanations Ethno botany: curative properties in plantsEthno botany: curative properties in plants

Native AmericansNative Americans AfricaAfrica Latin AmericaLatin America

EthnomedicineEthnomedicine

Mental IllnessesMental Illnesses Traditional healers vs. Western psychologistsTraditional healers vs. Western psychologists Lack social stigmaLack social stigma StatisticsStatistics

WHO multicultural 7yr. Pilot studyWHO multicultural 7yr. Pilot study Nigeria and IndiaNigeria and India 58% Nigerians & 51% Indians viewed as cured58% Nigerians & 51% Indians viewed as cured 6% Denmark & 27% in China6% Denmark & 27% in China

EthnomedicineEthnomedicine

Supernaturally caused illnessesSupernaturally caused illnesses1.1. SorcerySorcery2.2. Breach of tabooBreach of taboo3.3. Intrusion of a disease objectIntrusion of a disease object4.4. Intrusion of a disease-causing spiritIntrusion of a disease-causing spirit5.5. Loss of soulLoss of soul Difficulty of determining the frequency and Difficulty of determining the frequency and

incidence of illnesses.incidence of illnesses. Mental IllnessesMental Illnesses

A School for Medicine A School for Medicine MenMen

By By Robert BergmanRobert Bergman

A School of Medicine MenA School of Medicine Men

BackgroundBackground The RitualsThe Rituals The SchoolThe School Obtaining FundsObtaining Funds The Training ProgramThe Training Program

Class ActivityClass Activity

In a small group, discuss and analyze the In a small group, discuss and analyze the article by Edward Halperin.article by Edward Halperin.

Should Academic Medical Center Conduct Should Academic Medical Center Conduct Clinical Trials of the Efficacy of Intercessory Clinical Trials of the Efficacy of Intercessory Prayer?Prayer? What is the author’s position?What is the author’s position? What is your position or view?What is your position or view?