Medical Anthropology

Medical anthropology is an interdisciplinary subfield of anthropology with a long history of research on environmental health-related issues, especially those pertaining to human health within environments of risk, consequences of ecological degradation, and the way patterns of development and globalization impact environmental (and therefore human) health. In this article, the authors provide an introduction to the scope of medical anthropology research, its relevance to the field of environmental health, and the methods anthropologists use in their analyses. They conclude by elaborating on some of the key conceptual frameworks that guide current research and highlight topical areas in environmental health (broadly defined) where medical anthropology research is warranted.