APY2602
Essay type questions with answers
Questions:
1. Indicate what is meant by "the social construction of health phenomena"? (2)
2. Give a brief indication of the field of study of medical anthropology. (4)
3. Distinguish between the different theoretical approaches in medical anthropology and indicate the
underlying principles of each (19)
4. Describe the origin and field of study of medical anthropology (15)
5. Briefly distinguish between the concepts of disease and illness, illustrating your answer with specific
examples. (6)
6. Name 4 universal indicators of ill-health and give an example of each (4)
7. Compare biomedical and indigenous medical systems in terms of the following. Strategies of
prevention (5) – Strategies that people follow to keep away illness.
8. Compare biomedical and indigenous medical systems in terms of the following. Differences in
diagnostic procedures (7)
9. Compare biomedical and indigenous medical systems in terms of the following. Treatment options
(7)
10. Compare biomedical and indigenous medical systems in terms of the following. Types of
practitioners (6)
11. Discuss social suffering in terms of:
a. The meaning of social suffering (5)
b. The origins of social suffering (7)
c. The influence of political and economic factors (7)
d. Structural violence and its connection with social suffering (2)
12. Based on Paul Farmer’s article On Suffering and Structural Violence: A View from Below, discuss
the concepts of social suffering and structural violence with reference. (12)
13. Critically discuss some of the past and current practices that involve unethical and illegal activities
in the procurement of human tissues and organs in South Africa. (12)
14. Medical anthropologists recently began to investigate the exploitation of people’s suffering for
commercial purposes. Discuss this statement with reference to the illicit international trade in “fresh”
human organs and illegal activities surrounding the removal of human body parts. (25)
,1. Indicate what is meant by “the social construction of health phenomena” (2)
Different groups identify different conditions of ill-health, interpret symptoms and causes of sickness
differently, and give meaning to them in terms of their own culture.
As a result, societies across the world have developed their own health care systems and methods of
treatment.
In other words:
Perceptions of health and ideas and behaviour associated with health care are socio-culturally
constructed, and different groups identify conditions of ill-health differently and give meaning to them
according to their own culture.
, 2. Give a brief indication of the field of study of medical anthropology. (4)
1st - It’s point of departure is that illness and healing form part of the experience of all people, and
are best understood holistically in the sociocultural context of which they form part
2nd – it’s about sociocultural phenomena as these are given meaning by issues of health care, such
as beliefs and practices relating to sickness
3rd – It examines the influence of sociocultural factors on the perception, diagnosis, prevention
and treatment of sickness
4th – it recognizes that the sociocultural aspects of a health system have important practical
implications for dealing with health care, particularly n multicultural societies
5th – medical anthropologists are involved in research concerning health beliefs and behaviour.
They are also involved in applied research that aims to improve caring in clinical settings or public
health programmes which focus on the prevention and control of disease.
REMEMBER:
What is medical anthropology all about? Sociocultural phenomena, such as beliefs and practices relating
to illness
What does medical anthropology examine? Influence of sociocultural factors on perception, diagnosis,
prevention and treatment of sickness
What is the main point of departure in the study of medical anthropology? Illness and healing form part
of the experience of all people, are best understood holistically in the sociocultural context of which they
form part
What does medical anthropology recognize as far as the sociocultural aspects of a health systems are
concerned? The sociocultural aspects of a health systems that have important practical implications for
dealing with health care, particularly in multicultural societies
What do medical anthropologists do? They are involved in research concerning health beliefs and
behaviour and applied research that aims to improve caring in clinical settings or public health
programmes which focus on the prevention and control of disease.
Essay type questions with answers
Questions:
1. Indicate what is meant by "the social construction of health phenomena"? (2)
2. Give a brief indication of the field of study of medical anthropology. (4)
3. Distinguish between the different theoretical approaches in medical anthropology and indicate the
underlying principles of each (19)
4. Describe the origin and field of study of medical anthropology (15)
5. Briefly distinguish between the concepts of disease and illness, illustrating your answer with specific
examples. (6)
6. Name 4 universal indicators of ill-health and give an example of each (4)
7. Compare biomedical and indigenous medical systems in terms of the following. Strategies of
prevention (5) – Strategies that people follow to keep away illness.
8. Compare biomedical and indigenous medical systems in terms of the following. Differences in
diagnostic procedures (7)
9. Compare biomedical and indigenous medical systems in terms of the following. Treatment options
(7)
10. Compare biomedical and indigenous medical systems in terms of the following. Types of
practitioners (6)
11. Discuss social suffering in terms of:
a. The meaning of social suffering (5)
b. The origins of social suffering (7)
c. The influence of political and economic factors (7)
d. Structural violence and its connection with social suffering (2)
12. Based on Paul Farmer’s article On Suffering and Structural Violence: A View from Below, discuss
the concepts of social suffering and structural violence with reference. (12)
13. Critically discuss some of the past and current practices that involve unethical and illegal activities
in the procurement of human tissues and organs in South Africa. (12)
14. Medical anthropologists recently began to investigate the exploitation of people’s suffering for
commercial purposes. Discuss this statement with reference to the illicit international trade in “fresh”
human organs and illegal activities surrounding the removal of human body parts. (25)
,1. Indicate what is meant by “the social construction of health phenomena” (2)
Different groups identify different conditions of ill-health, interpret symptoms and causes of sickness
differently, and give meaning to them in terms of their own culture.
As a result, societies across the world have developed their own health care systems and methods of
treatment.
In other words:
Perceptions of health and ideas and behaviour associated with health care are socio-culturally
constructed, and different groups identify conditions of ill-health differently and give meaning to them
according to their own culture.
, 2. Give a brief indication of the field of study of medical anthropology. (4)
1st - It’s point of departure is that illness and healing form part of the experience of all people, and
are best understood holistically in the sociocultural context of which they form part
2nd – it’s about sociocultural phenomena as these are given meaning by issues of health care, such
as beliefs and practices relating to sickness
3rd – It examines the influence of sociocultural factors on the perception, diagnosis, prevention
and treatment of sickness
4th – it recognizes that the sociocultural aspects of a health system have important practical
implications for dealing with health care, particularly n multicultural societies
5th – medical anthropologists are involved in research concerning health beliefs and behaviour.
They are also involved in applied research that aims to improve caring in clinical settings or public
health programmes which focus on the prevention and control of disease.
REMEMBER:
What is medical anthropology all about? Sociocultural phenomena, such as beliefs and practices relating
to illness
What does medical anthropology examine? Influence of sociocultural factors on perception, diagnosis,
prevention and treatment of sickness
What is the main point of departure in the study of medical anthropology? Illness and healing form part
of the experience of all people, are best understood holistically in the sociocultural context of which they
form part
What does medical anthropology recognize as far as the sociocultural aspects of a health systems are
concerned? The sociocultural aspects of a health systems that have important practical implications for
dealing with health care, particularly in multicultural societies
What do medical anthropologists do? They are involved in research concerning health beliefs and
behaviour and applied research that aims to improve caring in clinical settings or public health
programmes which focus on the prevention and control of disease.
