Culture, Curers and Contagion (Chandler & Sharp publications in anthropology and related fields) [Paperback]

Norman Klein (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0883165317 | ISBN-13: 978-0883165317 | Publication Date: December 1979 | Edition: 1st

Well-being is a human concern in all societies - in part because humans, like other life forms, are susceptible to illness. Perceptions of health and illness differ from individual to individual and from culture to culture. Differences and similarities in such perceptions depend on a multitude of complex social, cultural, and environmental factors. People involved in health professions in the multicultural United States are confronted with the challenge of trying to understand the implications of such differences for the provision of quality health services to their clients. The behavioral and social sciences provide insight into the complexities associated with these variations. A number of concepts and concerns central to the social sciences are emphasized in the articles and comments in this book, among them the concepts of culture, cultural relativism, ethnocentrism, and race. Medical science in any society does not exist in a vacuum. Its form is a reflection of the cultural values and beliefs of different peoples. This socio-cultural component of medicine has become increasingly detached from its technical component in Western societies. In recent years there has been an effort to restore the connection. The selections in this book represent the diversity of these efforts and provide points of departure for forays into the extensive literature. --- from book's back cover

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Chandler & Sharp Publishers; 1st edition (December 1979)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0883165317
• ISBN-13: 978-0883165317
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,033,759 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars An Old Favorite, November 30, 2009

By 

Mary A. Earhart (Zancudo, Costa Rica) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Culture, Curers and Contagion (Chandler & Sharp publications in anthropology and related fields) (Paperback)

I bought this book to use in college in 1982 and fell in love with it. I still use it as a reference. The book is divided into short essays explaining various cultural beliefs and behaviors that impact healthcare access and understanding/acceptance of treatment. You have to have an open mind to get the most from this book--oh, and there's an essay for that, too! Reading it is an opportunity to question your own beliefs and behaviors.