Epidemiology is often defined as the study, distribution and determinants of disease and injuries in human population. Epidemiological anthropology elucidates etiological factors involved in a disease incidence; and emphasis on population variation in incidence and occurrence.
Human growth occurs along a genetically destined trajectory, but is influenced by environmental factors consequently affecting its longevity and health status. Consequently diseases exhibit the whole spectrum of causation, ranging from hereditary factors which play predominant role, to the environment. In many instances both factors have to be taken into account. We need to consider not only man’s physical environment but also his social, cultural and psychological circumstances. For instance, environmental components of causation lie in lung cancer and degenerative arterial disease as in tuberculosis and small pox. Distribution of diseases as a special manifestation of human variation and ecology can be observed not only at individual level but also at population level which exhibit genotypically and phenotypically similar individuals and inhabit more or less uniform environments.
The study of Epidemiology in its contemporary form is a comparatively new discipline. It uses quantitative approaches to study diseases in human populations
for preventive and control measures. The vital role of epidemiology is to improve health of communities.Anthropological Epidemiology enhances the study of health and diseases of populations by incorporating qualitative aspect to epidemiological study. The perception of health and illness, treatment, management and responses to health care facilities are influences to a great extent by one’s own behavioral, cultural, and traditional belief and practices. The study of distribution of healthrelated states is quantitative, however study of determinants in Anthropological Epidemiology includes both quantitative and qualitative factors that are pertinent to populations.
Anthropological Epidemiology studies the distribution as well as determinants of diseases from anthropological perspectives for better perception, intervention and preventive measures to improve the health of communities. Medical anthropology studies health and disease, health care structures, and biocultural adaptation, drawing upon the different fields of anthropology to evaluate and equate the health of both prehistoric and contemporary populations. Medical anthropology has established three main orientations, namely, Medical ecology, Ethnomedicine and Applied Medical Anthropology since mid-1960s.
In Medical Ecology, populations are viewed as both biological and cultural units, and the studies interrelate among health, ecological systems and evolution. Taking a systems approach in enquiry, culture is perceived as one means for responding to environmental complications, nonetheless genetic and physiological processes transmit equal weight. A basic concept in medical ecology is adaptation, that intensify the chances of survival, reproductive accomplishment and general wellbeing. Medical Ecology assumes that biomedical disease classifications are universal.
Ethno medical study emphasizes on the cultural systems of healing as well as the cognitive aspects of illness. The focuses in ethno medical perspective are on health beliefs and practices, social roles and cultural values. Originally ethno medicine was limited to the study of folk medicine but now it has become the health maintenance system of societies. In pluralistic societies there are often numerous ethno medical systems. In ethno medicine, there is clear distinction
of the disease-illness concept.
Clinical definition of disease as deviation from medical norms is not universal but considered to be a Western biomedical category. On the contrary, Illness is the experience of impairment culturally defined and created. Healing is usually mediated by cyphers and practices that induce conditioned immune system and neurophysiological responses. The placebo effect of the traditional healer’s behavior and symbols to reduce stress or induce healing is vital to ethno medical
studies. Now many medical anthropologists combine standard anthropological skills with technical planning and assessment skills to improve population’s health (McElroy, 1996).