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Some Field Methods in Medical Ethnobiology by Elois Ann Berlin and Brent Berlin; Field Methods 2005; 17; 235

Some Field Methods in Medical Ethnobiology by Elois Ann Berlin and Brent Berlin; Field Methods 2005; 17; 235. Medical ethnobiology the multidisciplinary scientific study of the folk knowledge and cultural practices embodied in traditional medical systems

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Some Field Methods in Medical Ethnobiology by Elois Ann Berlin and Brent Berlin; Field Methods 2005; 17; 235

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  1. Some Field Methods in Medical Ethnobiology by Elois Ann Berlin and Brent Berlin; Field Methods 2005; 17; 235

  2. Medical ethnobiology • the multidisciplinary scientific study of the • folk knowledge and • cultural practices embodied in traditional medical systems • With emphasis on the natural resources used in the maintenance and restoration of human health.

  3. Research in Medical ethnobiology is comprised of three major components: • ethnomedicine, • medical ethnobotany, and • ethnopharmacology

  4. PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT TO CONDUCT THE STUDY • Prior informed consent must be obtained from the communities in which the research is to be conducted. • Ideally, funding agencies should award at least 1 year of sup­port for the informed consent process.

  5. TRAINING LOCAL RESEARCH ASSISTANTS • A comprehensive research program has a cadre of trained field assistants. • Some of the most important skills that local research assistants must acquire include: • core field linguistic methods, especially accurate linguistic transcription; • interviewing skills and • native lan­guage questionnaire production and testing;

  6. botanical, ethnobotanical, and ethnoecological data collection and recording methods, including: • The use of global positioning system instruments, • map reading, • map production, and • basic photography

  7. herbarium processing and curation procedures; • basic computer literacy, • including word processing and • database manage­ment; and • elementary biological laboratory techniques, regulations, and precautions.

  8. ETHNOMEDICAL DATA COLLECTION • Preliminary understanding of folk concepts of anatomy and physiol­ogy are essential. • Have collaborators produce their own drawings of the human body.

  9. One of the most productive ques­tions is • “What are the names of all of the kinds of health problems you know?” • Preserving the order of elicitation of terms is useful in establishing salience. • Named subclasses can be elicited by: • “What are all of the kinds of ____?” • “Are there any other kinds of ____?” • “Is ____ a kind of ____?”

  10. ETHNOMEDICAL EXPLANATORY MODELS OF ILLNESS • Survey instruments must be trans­lated and back translated in the local language. • Ethnomedical explanatory models of recognized health conditions consist of: • Ultimate cause: Why did you get sick? • Proximate cause: a series of contributory or risk factors • Onset: • Is the onset rapid or gradual?

  11. Signs: How does it look, feel, or smell to persons other than the patient? • Symptoms: What are the sensations and indicators that the patient perceives? • Normal course: What is the normal progression of the condi­tion if left untreated? • Complications: Does the condition sometimes worsen and perhaps transform into another condition? • Prognosis: What is the expected outcome of this condition?

  12. Ecology: Is it associated with conditions of the biological envi­ronment or psychosocial environment? • Special groups affected: Who gets it (age, gender, ethnicity)? • Treatment: How can it be made better or cured? • Healing resources: Who can treat or cure it? • Special precautions during treatment: • special dietary restrictions • behav­ioral restrictions

  13. Clinical data • Ethno-epidemiology survey • Medical ethnobotany • Secure local, national, and international collecting permits • Make arrangements with collab­orating botanists • Produce botanical voucher specimens that conform to the highest standards,

  14. The following ethnobotanicalinformation is relevant: • local name(s) of the plant, • health condition(s) that the plant is said to treat, • plant part(s) employed • other plants or substances used as admixtures • specialized collection requirements (e.g., time of day or night, season), • complete methods of preparation,

  15. complete modes of administration, • quantities (based on native system of measurement) of all ingredients used), • dosage (with special consideration for age, gender, health condition of patient), • presumed curative principles of each constituent • desired effect produced by each ingredient, • duration of treatment, and • dietary constraints, restrictions on regular activity?

  16. This ethnomedical data can guide pharmacological laboratory analysis for • analgesic activity • antibiotic activity, • neurological effects or • metabolic effects. • The discovery of novel com­pounds could lead to the development of new pharmaceuticals.

  17. The use of herbal remedies that are safe and efficacious can be promoted in place of expensive patent or over-the-counter medicines. • Phar­macologically effective medicinal plants can be produced in • home gardens and • community plots

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