The applied approach to studying type 2 diabetes
The applied approach to studying type 2 diabetes may well be the approach that is most immediately useful to anthropologists. This is because the applied method means that diabetic research and analysis will be done on a very specific issue for a very specific group. This method is almost an all-encompassing anthropological method of study as anthropologists often use all the other theories explained throughout this website to solve very real social issues. Anthropologists are often called on to figure out why certain programs are not working or to help launch new initiatives. For diabetes, anthropologists can look into why programs like the CDC's National Diabetes Prevention Program is not preventing the growth of the illness here in the U.S. The globalization of this highly connected world also leads to the formation of very complex problems that can be examined using the applied method of study. Prevention does seem to be the key to solving the problem, but it is difficult to get all the right systems to connect and make it happen on a global scale. Dr. Frank Hu may put it best in his study about the worldwide diabetes epidemic when he concludes:
"Translating these findings into practice, however, requires fundamental changes in
public policies, the food and built environments, and health systems. To curb the
escalating diabetes epidemic, primary prevention through promotion of a healthy diet and
lifestyle should be a global public policy priority." - Dr. Frank Hu ("Globalization of Diabetes.")
In order to change global public policy towards diabetes, it is likely that awareness itself needs to increase exponentially. A practical applied anthropological way to resolve that problem could be to conduct studies that measure the effectiveness of spreading prevention awareness through specific social media outlets. Another way would be to measure the impact of food education for children over the course of their lifetime (Figure 1). There are many widespread problems associated with diabetes prevention and raising global awareness is just one of them. The applied anthropological method would be a very useful way to study those types of issues in this connected world.
"Translating these findings into practice, however, requires fundamental changes in
public policies, the food and built environments, and health systems. To curb the
escalating diabetes epidemic, primary prevention through promotion of a healthy diet and
lifestyle should be a global public policy priority." - Dr. Frank Hu ("Globalization of Diabetes.")
In order to change global public policy towards diabetes, it is likely that awareness itself needs to increase exponentially. A practical applied anthropological way to resolve that problem could be to conduct studies that measure the effectiveness of spreading prevention awareness through specific social media outlets. Another way would be to measure the impact of food education for children over the course of their lifetime (Figure 1). There are many widespread problems associated with diabetes prevention and raising global awareness is just one of them. The applied anthropological method would be a very useful way to study those types of issues in this connected world.
Anthropologists in the field
Dr. Daniel C. Benyshek is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. His work centers around the study of obesity-related disorders from a political, ecological, and evolutionary perspective. One of his earliest research projects studied why Native American populations are at such high risk for diabetes, why the disease is relatively new to their culture, and why there is such a disconnect between indigenous methods and biomedical models for dealing with the disease. Dr. Benyshek argues that previous research efforts around diabetes in Native American people focused too much on trying to form a "monocausal" model. That is, they are looking for one major factor, be it physical, social, economical, political, etc., that led to the prevalence of diabetes in Native Americans. Dr. Benyshek concluded that diabetes was influenced heavily by political changes in the United States over the last few hundred years, but also stressed that biologic and genetic factors also led to the susceptibility of Native Americans to the disease ("A reconsideration of the origins.").
Dr. Benyshek used many of the anthropological methods described on this website to come to his conclusions. He used the applied method to address the primary cause of diabetes for a specific group of people, examined biological reasons for the disease, and considered the ethnomedical aspects of why there is such a disconnect between indigenous and biomedical perspectives. However, his use of the critical theory of anthropology may have been the most important. Because he was evaluating previous research methods around diabetes in Native American culture, Dr. Benyshek had to keep remember that the treatment of diabetes has changed over time. Researchers have looked at various ways of explaining the prevalence of diabetes in Native Americans and no one has the perfect answer. Dr. Benyshek, and other anthropologists, have to be careful to consider all the different factors that lead to disease, not just the simplest one.
Dr. Benyshek used many of the anthropological methods described on this website to come to his conclusions. He used the applied method to address the primary cause of diabetes for a specific group of people, examined biological reasons for the disease, and considered the ethnomedical aspects of why there is such a disconnect between indigenous and biomedical perspectives. However, his use of the critical theory of anthropology may have been the most important. Because he was evaluating previous research methods around diabetes in Native American culture, Dr. Benyshek had to keep remember that the treatment of diabetes has changed over time. Researchers have looked at various ways of explaining the prevalence of diabetes in Native Americans and no one has the perfect answer. Dr. Benyshek, and other anthropologists, have to be careful to consider all the different factors that lead to disease, not just the simplest one.
Anthropologists are the professionals that we should be trusting
So why can't regular doctors and other professionals take care of the diabetes epidemic on their own? Anthropologists utilize all of the methods outlined throughout this website to gain a broader perspective of the problem than other people can. Doctors are likely to value biomedical data. Government officials would likely be more concerned with economic factors that may influence their political future. It is natural for educated people to pay more attention to their areas of expertise, which is why anthropologists are so valuable. Anthropologists use many different methods to address social issues and are trained to have an understanding in biomedicine, statistics, governmental policies, etc. They are trained to notice when a public policy is negatively affecting the success of diabetes prevention. They will also know when a particular group of people needs to be addressed in a certain way so that prevention practices take hold long-term. Type 2 diabetes is such a large global problem that anthropologists are clearly the professionals that we should be trusting the most to help us resolve it.
Benyshek, Daniel C., John F. Martin, and Carol S. Johnston. "A reconsideration of the origins of the type 2 diabetes epidemic among native Americans and the implications for intervention policy." Medical Anthropology: Cross-Cultural Studies in Health and Illness 20 (2001): 25-64.
* Fox, Joanne. "Native American students learn about diabetes prevention." Sioux City Journal, July 1, 2012. Accessed August 12, 2014. http://siouxcityjournal.com/lifestyles/local/native-american-students-learn-about-diabetes-prevention/article_ae0a6fcc-99bc-5754-8560-9a957f75b2c3.html.
Hu, Frank B., "Globalization of Diabetes: The role of diet, lifestyle, and genes." Diabetes Care 34 (2011): 1249-1257.
* Fox, Joanne. "Native American students learn about diabetes prevention." Sioux City Journal, July 1, 2012. Accessed August 12, 2014. http://siouxcityjournal.com/lifestyles/local/native-american-students-learn-about-diabetes-prevention/article_ae0a6fcc-99bc-5754-8560-9a957f75b2c3.html.
Hu, Frank B., "Globalization of Diabetes: The role of diet, lifestyle, and genes." Diabetes Care 34 (2011): 1249-1257.