THE EXPERIENTIAL APPROACH
According to the ANP 204 lecture, medical anthropologists view the experiential approach as one that allows patients as well as caregivers to make sense of the illness they possess through narrative. This is because diseases and illnesses not only impact the biological health of the patient, but also affects the social aspect including relationships with friends, family, healthcare providers, and also how the patient views themselves while carrying the condition. The narratives that patients provide allow medical anthropologists can understand how different people make certain choices within a particular healthcare setting, and how these decisions impact the rest of their lives.
According to the ANP 204 lecture, medical anthropologists view the experiential approach as one that allows patients as well as caregivers to make sense of the illness they possess through narrative. This is because diseases and illnesses not only impact the biological health of the patient, but also affects the social aspect including relationships with friends, family, healthcare providers, and also how the patient views themselves while carrying the condition. The narratives that patients provide allow medical anthropologists can understand how different people make certain choices within a particular healthcare setting, and how these decisions impact the rest of their lives.
We can specifically examine the case of Derwin Daniels (pictured on right) to get an idea of how medical anthropologists use the experiential approach. Derwin has now been living with Chronic Kidney Disease for seven years now. Prior to his diagnosis Derwin attended regular body check-ups with his doctor. His doctor noticed Derwin's high blood pressure and warned Derwin of future consequences on his kidneys with the condition if his diet and other lifestyle choices did not change. However, Derwin did not follow up on his doctors advice and continued to live his life as he did before. Shortly after, his doctor diagnosed Derwin with late stage CKD but did not present any sort of symptoms. Therefore, he did not know how to cope with the information and was confused because he felt healthy. A few months later, Derwin noticed his body starting to swell; a symptom of CKD.
Soon after, Derwin's doctors introduced him to peritoneal dialysis. This is a treatment which is used to remove waste from blood when the kidney's are no longer capable of doing the job. Derwin mentions that this treatment was one of the best things that could have happend to him, and that the treatment has given him a second opportunity in life. He finally is eating the proper diet that his doctors have recommended to him, and is eating in much lighter portions than before. He now does exercises involving a lot of cardio to help keep his body healthy. He ends the narrative by giving advice to the audience that is watching the video. Derwin mainly states that it is important to seek treatments for your illnesses as soon as possible and not to wait until its too late.
Derwin's narrative would be classified by medical anthropologists to be a quest narrative. This is due to the fact that Derwin has a reason for creating the video. He wanted it to be very informative for patients who believe that they have CKD, and gives advice to seek medical help is they suspect that they may have the disease. Derwin's tone in his voice was very sincere and was very thankful for the medical treatments that he has received to keep him healthy.
References
"Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Chronic Renal Failure". StemRx. Viewed on August 9, 2014.
http://www.stemrx.in/renal.html
"Derwin's Story-Diagnoses and Peritoneal Dialysis". Kidney Health. Viewed on August 9, 2014. http://www.kidneyhealth.ca/wp/patients-and-caregivers/dialysis-modalities/patientstories/derwin
(reference for Derwin's picture and his video narrative).
Derwin's narrative would be classified by medical anthropologists to be a quest narrative. This is due to the fact that Derwin has a reason for creating the video. He wanted it to be very informative for patients who believe that they have CKD, and gives advice to seek medical help is they suspect that they may have the disease. Derwin's tone in his voice was very sincere and was very thankful for the medical treatments that he has received to keep him healthy.
References
"Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Chronic Renal Failure". StemRx. Viewed on August 9, 2014.
http://www.stemrx.in/renal.html
"Derwin's Story-Diagnoses and Peritoneal Dialysis". Kidney Health. Viewed on August 9, 2014. http://www.kidneyhealth.ca/wp/patients-and-caregivers/dialysis-modalities/patientstories/derwin
(reference for Derwin's picture and his video narrative).