THE CRITICAL APPROACH:
Based on the ANP 204 lecture, the critical approach allows medical anthropologists to use their own assumptions to figure out how the world works, especially when talking about illnesses. This includes ideas that people generally consider to be facts or truths. In todays society, medical anthropologists use this method to examine the advancements of biomedicine and new pharmaceuticals.
Medical anthropologists would normally target Chronic Kidney Disease to be mainly in western society because of the type of lifestyle that Americans, in particular, undergo. There are two common diseases that eventually lead to CKD: diabetes and high blood pressure, and the other causes are pictured in the chart above [5] [1]. It just so happens that these diseases are very common among western society, therefore CKD is high in the United States as well. There are many reasons why CKD is common in the U.S., but the main reason is the type of diet that Americans generally intake. A diet that is high in fat content would increase the risk for diabetes, while a diet that is high in sodium would increase the risk for high blood pressure. The typical American diet is high in both sodium and fat and thus a higher risk for CKD. Therefore, Americans who are looking to avoid getting CKD would watch the sodium and fat intake they are receiving in their diet, as well as exercise normally to keep blood pressure low and burn fat within the body. This could be complicated for individuals who cannot afford to eat healthy (and thus would spend money on the dollar menu at the local McDonald's) or who are not educated in the complications of eating unhealthy foods and not exercising.
When it comes to treating CKD, medical anthropologists would consider the illness to be highly medicalized and biomedicalized in today's western culture. First, in addition to eating healthier and exercising, there are medications to help lower blood pressure and reduce the amount of free sodium within the body. According to the American Heart Association, there are over 10 different medications that lower blood pressure [4]. Although there are many different types available, only money can pay for the medications so poorer individuals have less access to these types of treatments. The main treatment for patients who have CDK is dialysis. This is a process, done by a machine, that will filter the patients blood to remove waste products (a normal process that the kidney performs). A picture of the machine is given on the right [3]. However, if patients can not afford to buy medications for lowering blood pressure, they sure will not be able to afford the costs of hemodialysis. According to the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) the cost per year of hemodialysis treatment runs around $30,000 [2]. Medical anthropologists will use this information to examine how healthcare works in other countries in which all patients and citizens have all healthcare paid for by government agencies.
CKD would definitely reflect on the responsibility of people who are at risk of CKD to improve their lives by changing their lifestyle. CKD can easily be avoided by decreasing the amount of sodium and fat embedded within foods, and exercising to increase the health of the human heart. However, there are many financial issues that could get in the way of receiving proper treatment for CKD so social status in American culture matters.
References
[1] Causes of Chronic Kidney Disease.
http://ckd.vacloud.us/rooms/kidney-info/topics/how-to-protect-your-kidneys/#slide_2
[2] "Cost Associated with Hemodialysis". American Association for Kidney Patients. Edited in March 2008. Viewed on August 9, 2014.
[3] Photo by Queco Jones. http://vtdigger.org/2011/11/06/fletcher-allen-dialysis/
http://ckd.vacloud.us/rooms/kidney-info/topics/how-to-protect-your-kidneys/#slide_2
[4] "Types of Blood Pressure Medications". American Heart Association. Viewed on August 9, 2014.
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/PreventionTreatmentofHighBloodPressure/Types-of-Blood-Pressure-Medications_UCM_303247_Article.jsp
https://www.aakp.org/education/resourcelibrary/dialysis-resources/item/cost-associated-with-home-dialysis.html
[5] "Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease". Davita: Brining Quality to Life. Viewed on August 9, 2014.
http://www.davita.com/kidney-disease/overview/symptoms-and-diagnosis/understanding-chronic-kidney-disease/e/6888
Based on the ANP 204 lecture, the critical approach allows medical anthropologists to use their own assumptions to figure out how the world works, especially when talking about illnesses. This includes ideas that people generally consider to be facts or truths. In todays society, medical anthropologists use this method to examine the advancements of biomedicine and new pharmaceuticals.
Medical anthropologists would normally target Chronic Kidney Disease to be mainly in western society because of the type of lifestyle that Americans, in particular, undergo. There are two common diseases that eventually lead to CKD: diabetes and high blood pressure, and the other causes are pictured in the chart above [5] [1]. It just so happens that these diseases are very common among western society, therefore CKD is high in the United States as well. There are many reasons why CKD is common in the U.S., but the main reason is the type of diet that Americans generally intake. A diet that is high in fat content would increase the risk for diabetes, while a diet that is high in sodium would increase the risk for high blood pressure. The typical American diet is high in both sodium and fat and thus a higher risk for CKD. Therefore, Americans who are looking to avoid getting CKD would watch the sodium and fat intake they are receiving in their diet, as well as exercise normally to keep blood pressure low and burn fat within the body. This could be complicated for individuals who cannot afford to eat healthy (and thus would spend money on the dollar menu at the local McDonald's) or who are not educated in the complications of eating unhealthy foods and not exercising.
When it comes to treating CKD, medical anthropologists would consider the illness to be highly medicalized and biomedicalized in today's western culture. First, in addition to eating healthier and exercising, there are medications to help lower blood pressure and reduce the amount of free sodium within the body. According to the American Heart Association, there are over 10 different medications that lower blood pressure [4]. Although there are many different types available, only money can pay for the medications so poorer individuals have less access to these types of treatments. The main treatment for patients who have CDK is dialysis. This is a process, done by a machine, that will filter the patients blood to remove waste products (a normal process that the kidney performs). A picture of the machine is given on the right [3]. However, if patients can not afford to buy medications for lowering blood pressure, they sure will not be able to afford the costs of hemodialysis. According to the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) the cost per year of hemodialysis treatment runs around $30,000 [2]. Medical anthropologists will use this information to examine how healthcare works in other countries in which all patients and citizens have all healthcare paid for by government agencies.
CKD would definitely reflect on the responsibility of people who are at risk of CKD to improve their lives by changing their lifestyle. CKD can easily be avoided by decreasing the amount of sodium and fat embedded within foods, and exercising to increase the health of the human heart. However, there are many financial issues that could get in the way of receiving proper treatment for CKD so social status in American culture matters.
References
[1] Causes of Chronic Kidney Disease.
http://ckd.vacloud.us/rooms/kidney-info/topics/how-to-protect-your-kidneys/#slide_2
[2] "Cost Associated with Hemodialysis". American Association for Kidney Patients. Edited in March 2008. Viewed on August 9, 2014.
[3] Photo by Queco Jones. http://vtdigger.org/2011/11/06/fletcher-allen-dialysis/
http://ckd.vacloud.us/rooms/kidney-info/topics/how-to-protect-your-kidneys/#slide_2
[4] "Types of Blood Pressure Medications". American Heart Association. Viewed on August 9, 2014.
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/PreventionTreatmentofHighBloodPressure/Types-of-Blood-Pressure-Medications_UCM_303247_Article.jsp
https://www.aakp.org/education/resourcelibrary/dialysis-resources/item/cost-associated-with-home-dialysis.html
[5] "Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease". Davita: Brining Quality to Life. Viewed on August 9, 2014.
http://www.davita.com/kidney-disease/overview/symptoms-and-diagnosis/understanding-chronic-kidney-disease/e/6888