Medical anthropology

Medical anthropology is like when you go to the doctor or the hospital and the doctors and nurses try to figure out what's wrong with you and how to help you feel better. Except instead of just looking at your body and what's happening inside of it, they also look at other things like your family, community, culture, and beliefs.

For example, let's say you have a bad headache. A doctor might give you some medicine for the pain, but a medical anthropologist might also ask you questions about your sleep habits, your job, your diet, your stress level, and your religious beliefs. They might look at how people in your cultural background traditionally treat headaches and suggest some alternatives, like herbal teas or meditation.

Medical anthropology helps doctors and nurses understand how things like culture, social norms, and beliefs affect people's health and healing. It also helps them develop treatments and care plans that take into account the whole person, not just the physical symptoms.