Environmental anthropology and health sciences: key aspects in medical education

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56294/mw2023212

Keywords:

Environmental anthropology, Medical education, Climate change, Gender inequalities, Participatory methodologies

Abstract

The intersection between environmental anthropology and medical education has gained relevance in recent decades, especially in the face of global challenges such as climate change, environmental degradation and social inequalities. This systematic review identified that environmental anthropology offers conceptual and methodological tools to enrich medical training by integrating cultural, social and ecological perspectives in the analysis of health determinants. However, its incorporation into medical curricula remains limited and fragmented. Critical areas such as the need to address gender inequalities and the impacts of climate change on health, as well as the importance of participatory methodologies and community collaboration, were highlighted. These methodologies, although promising, face challenges such as the lack of systematization and long-term evaluation. In addition, the urgency of fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between anthropologists, physicians and educators, and of exploring the role of digital technologies in medical training, was identified. Together, these strategies can promote a more just, equitable and contextualized medical education, preparing health professionals to face the challenges of the 21st century with a comprehensive and human perspective.

References

1. Panter-Brick C, Eggerman M. The field of medical anthropology in Social Science & Medicine. Social Science & Medicine. 2018;196:233–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.10.033 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.10.033

2. Diez Roux AV. Social Epidemiology: Past, Present, and Future. Annual Review of Public Health. 2022;43(1):79–98. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-060220-042648 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-060220-042648

3. Kaufman DM. Teaching and Learning in Medical Education: How Theory can Inform Practice. En: Understanding Medical Education. 1a ed. Wiley; 2018. p. 37–69. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119373780.ch4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119373780.ch4

4. Robin L. Environmental humanities and climate change: understanding humans geologically and other life forms ethically. WIREs Climate Change. 2018;9(1):e499. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.499 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.499

5. Stellmach D, Beshar I, Bedford J, Du Cros P, Stringer B. Anthropology in public health emergencies: what is anthropology good for? BMJ Glob Health. 2018;3(2):e000534. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000534 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000534

6. Valencia Celis AU, Rosas Patiño G, Sánchez Castillo V. Aproximaciones conceptuales para la construcción de un modelo de gestión del conocimiento en educación ecocientífica. Bibliotecas Anales de Investigación. 2023;19(3):5. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=9117088

7. Arévalo Zurita M, Expósito García E, Apez Arévalo I. Gestión empresarial y prácticas de equidad e igualdad de género: el caso de la empresa Agroforestal Cafetalera Tercer Frente. Región Científica. 2023;2(2):202375. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202375 DOI: https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202375

8. O’Reilly J, Isenhour C, McElwee P, Orlove B. Climate Change: Expanding Anthropological Possibilities. Annual Review of Anthropology. 2020;49(1):13–29. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-anthro-010220-043113 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-anthro-010220-043113

9. Pereno A, Eriksson D. A multi-stakeholder perspective on sustainable healthcare: From 2030 onwards. Futures. 2020;122:102605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2020.102605 Get rights and content DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2020.102605

10. Sentell T, Vamos S, Okan O. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Health Literacy Research Around the World: More Important Than Ever in a Time of COVID-19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020;17(9):3010. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093010

11. Moran EF. Human Adaptability: an introduction to ecological anthropology. Fourth edition. New York, London: ROUTLEDGE; 2022. 1 p. https://doi.org/10.4324/ 9781003175575

12. Gómez Cano CA, Sánchez Castillo V, Ballen Losada Y, Bermudez Monje MA. Analysis of the risks associated with the provision of services in respiratory diseases ward during the COVID 19 pandemic at the Hospital Maria Inmaculada. Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología. 2022;2:123. https://doi.org/10.56294/saludcyt2022123 DOI: https://doi.org/10.56294/saludcyt2022123

13. Linares Giraldo M, Rozo Carvajal KJ, Sáenz López JT. Impacto de la pandemia en el comportamiento del comercio B2C en Colombia. Región Científica. 2023;2(1):202320. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202320 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22463/27111121.4536

14. Sklar DP, Hemmer PA, Durning SJ. Medical Education and Health Care Delivery: A Call to Better Align Goals and Purposes. Academic Medicine. 2018;93(3):384–90. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000001921 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000001921

15. Monaghan AM. Medical Teaching and Assessment in the Era of COVID-19. Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development. 2020;7:2382120520965255. https://doi.org/10.1177/2382120520965255 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2382120520965255

16. Afanador Cubillos N. Historia de la producción y sus retos en la era actual. Región Científica. 2023;2(1):202315. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202315 DOI: https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202315

17. Manandhar M, Hawkes S, Buse K, Nosrati E, Magar V. Gender, health and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 2018;96(9):644–53. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.18.211607 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.18.211607

18. Marter-Kenyon J, Sellers S, Call M. Gender, Population and the Environment. En: International Handbook of Population and Environment. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2022. p. 463–83. (International Handbooks of Population; vol. 10). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76433-3_21 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76433-3_21

19. Mauvais-Jarvis F, Bairey Merz N, Barnes PJ, Brinton RD, Carrero JJ, DeMeo DL, et al. Sex and gender: modifiers of health, disease, and medicine. The Lancet. 2020;396(10250):565–82. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31561-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31561-0

20. Nielsen MW, Stefanick ML, Peragine D, Neilands TB, Ioannidis JPA, Pilote L, et al. Gender-related variables for health research. Biology of Sex Differences. 2021;12(1):23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13293-021-00366-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13293-021-00366-3

21. Eastin J. Climate change and gender equality in developing states. World Development. 2018;107:289–305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2018.02.021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2018.02.021

22. Miranda Larroza MM, Sanabria Zotelo ME. Estrategias didácticas en plataformas educativas: experiencia de docentes de Licenciatura en Administración en universidad pública de Paraguay. Región Científica. 2023;2(1):202330. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202330 DOI: https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202330

23. Leask CF, Sandlund M, Skelton DA, Altenburg TM, Cardon G, Chinapaw MJM, et al. Framework, principles and recommendations for utilising participatory methodologies in the co-creation and evaluation of public health interventions. Research Involvement and Engagement. 2019;5(1):2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-018-0136-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-018-0136-9

24. Finkel ML. A call for action: integrating climate change into the medical school curriculum. Perspectives on Medical Education. 2019;8(5):265–6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-019-00541-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/S40037-019-00541-8

25. Philipsborn RP, Sheffield P, White A, Osta A, Anderson MS, Bernstein A. Climate Change and the Practice of Medicine: Essentials for Resident Education. Academic Medicine. 2021;96(3):355–67. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000003719 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000003719

26. Shultz JM, Rechkemmer A, Rai A, McManus KT. Public Health and Mental Health Implications of Environmentally Induced Forced Migration. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13(02):116–22. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2018.27 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2018.27

27. Eslava Zapata R, Mogollón Calderón OZ, Chacón Guerrero E. Socialización organizacional en las universidades: estudio empírico. Región Científica. 2023;2(2):202369. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202369 DOI: https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202369

28. Smith GS, Anjum E, Francis C, Deanes L, Acey C. Climate Change, Environmental Disasters, and Health Inequities: The Underlying Role of Structural Inequalities. Current Environmental Health Reports. 2022;9(1):80–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-022-00336-w DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-022-00336-w

29. Sánchez Castillo V, Gómez Cano CA, Gonzalez-Argote J. Telemedicine and mHealth Applications for Health Monitoring in Rural Communities in Colombia: A Systematic Review. EAI Endorsed Transactions on Pervasive Health and Technology. 2023;9:e5. https://doi.org/10.4108/eetpht.9.3400 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4108/eetpht.9.3400

30. Ebi KL, Hess JJ. Health Risks Due To Climate Change: Inequity In Causes And Consequences: Study examines health risks due to climate change. Health Affairs. 2020;39(12):2056–62. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.01125 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.01125

31. Linares C, Díaz J, Negev M, Martínez GS, Debono R, Paz S. Impacts of climate change on the public health of the Mediterranean Basin population - Current situation, projections, preparedness and adaptation. Environmental Research. 2020;182:109107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.109107 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.109107

32. Flood S, Cradock-Henry NA, Blackett P, Edwards P. Adaptive and interactive climate futures: systematic review of ‘serious games’ for engagement and decision-making. Environmental Research Letters. 2018;13(6):063005. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aac1c6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aac1c6

33. Pérez Gamboa AJ, Gómez Cano CA, Sánchez Castillo V. Decision making in university contexts based on knowledge management systems. Data and Metadata. 2022;1:92. https://doi.org/10.56294/dm202292 DOI: https://doi.org/10.56294/dm202292

34. Higuera Carrillo EL. Aspectos clave en agroproyectos con enfoque comercial: Una aproximación desde las concepciones epistemológicas sobre el problema rural agrario en Colombia. Región Científica. 2022;1(1):20224. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc20224 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55204/rc.v1i1.25

35. Kotcher J, Maibach E, Miller J, Campbell E, Alqodmani L, Maiero M, et al. Views of health professionals on climate change and health: a multinational survey study. The Lancet Planetary Health. 2021;5(5):e316–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00053-X DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00053-X

36. Álvarez L, Coolsaet B. Decolonizing Environmental Justice Studies: A Latin American Perspective. Capitalism Nature Socialism. 2020;31(2):50–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/10455752.2018.1558272 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10455752.2018.1558272

37. Gonzalez-Argote J, Lepez CO, Castillo-Gonzalez W, Bonardi MC, Gómez Cano CA, Vitón-Castillo AA. Use of real-time graphics in health education: A systematic review. EAI Endorsed Transactions on Pervasive Health and Technology. 2023;9:e3. https://doi.org/10.4108/eetpht.v9i.3209 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4108/eetpht.v9i.3209

38. Pillai P, Patz JA, Seibert CS. Climate Change and Environmental Health Must Be Integrated Into Medical Education. Academic Medicine. 2021;96(11):1501–2. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000004238 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000004238

39. Gómez Cano CA. Ingreso, permanencia y estrategias para el fomento de los Semilleros de Investigación en una IES de Colombia. Región Científica. 2022;1(1):20226. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc20226 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55204/rc.v1i1.28

40. Fadadu RP, Jayaraman T, Teherani A. Climate and health education for medical students. The Clinical Teacher. 2021;18(4):362–4. https://doi.org/10.1111/tct.13317 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/tct.13317

41. Palmer VJ, Weavell W, Callander R, Piper D, Richard L, Maher L, et al. The Participatory Zeitgeist: an explanatory theoretical model of change in an era of coproduction and codesign in healthcare improvement. Medical Humanities. 2019;45(3):247–57. https://doi.org/10.1136/medhum-2017-011398 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/medhum-2017-011398

42. Haldane V, Chuah FLH, Srivastava A, Singh SR, Koh GCH, Seng CK, et al. Community participation in health services development, implementation, and evaluation: A systematic review of empowerment, health, community, and process outcomes. Maulsby C, editor. PLoS ONE. 2019;14(5):e0216112. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216112 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216112

43. Sánchez Suárez Y, Marqués León M, Hernández Nariño A, Suárez Pérez MM. Metodología para el diagnóstico de la gestión de trayectorias de pacientes en hospitales. Región Científica. 2023;2:2023115. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc2023115 DOI: https://doi.org/10.58763/rc2023115

44. Grant J. Principles of Curriculum Design. En: Understanding Medical Education. 1a ed. Wiley; 2018. p. 71–88. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119373780.ch5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119373780.ch5

45. Dada S, McKay G, Mateus A, Lees S. Lessons learned from engaging communities for Ebola vaccine trials in Sierra Leone: reciprocity, relatability, relationships and respect (the four R’s). BMC Public Health. 2019;19(1):1665. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7978-4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7978-4

46. Baah FO, Teitelman AM, Riegel B. Marginalization: Conceptualizing patient vulnerabilities in the framework of social determinants of health—An integrative review. Nursing Inquiry. 2019;26(1):e12268. https://doi.org/10.1111/nin.12268 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nin.12268

47. Jones NL, Gilman SE, Cheng TL, Drury SS, Hill CV, Geronimus AT. Life Course Approaches to the Causes of Health Disparities. American Journal of Public Health. 2019;109(S1):S48–55. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304738 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304738

48. Buckingham S. Gender and Environment. 2a ed. Second edition. | Abingdon, Oxon; New York: Routledge, 2020. | Series: Routledge introductions to environment: environment and society texts: Routledge; 2020. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315179926 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315179926

49. Richie C. Climate Change and Health Care Education. En: Applied Philosophy for Health Professions Education. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore; 2022. p. 233–50. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-1512-3_16 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-1512-3_16

50. Álvarez Contreras DE, Díaz Pérez CM, Herazo Morales R. Factores académicos asociados al proceso de investigación formativa en las instituciones educativas del sector oficial de Sincelejo, Sucre. Región Científica. 2023;2(1):202319. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202319 DOI: https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202319

51. Wallerstein N, Oetzel JG, Sanchez-Youngman S, Boursaw B, Dickson E, Kastelic S, et al. Engage for Equity: A Long-Term Study of Community-Based Participatory Research and Community-Engaged Research Practices and Outcomes. Health Educ Behav. 2020;47(3):380–90. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198119897075 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198119897075

52. Wallerstein N, Muhammad M, Sanchez-Youngman S, Rodriguez Espinosa P, Avila M, Baker EA, et al. Power Dynamics in Community-Based Participatory Research: A Multiple–Case Study Analysis of Partnering Contexts, Histories, and Practices. Health Education & Behavior. 2019;46(1_suppl):19S-32S. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198119852998 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198119852998

53. Castillo-Gonzalez W, Piñera-Castro HJ, Vitón-Castillo AA, Lepez CO, Gonzalez-Argote J, Bonardi MC, et al. The 100 most cited articles on wearable technology in the area of Medical Informatics: A bibliometric analysis using Web of Science. EAI Endorsed Transactions on Pervasive Health and Technology. 2022;8(5):e3. https://doi.org/10.4108/eetpht.v8i5.3171 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4108/eetpht.v8i5.3171

54. Arroix Jiménez T, Sánchez Castillo V, Colala Troya AL, Pérez Gamboa AJ. The use of methods in teaching History: a mixed exploratory study at the Ciego de Ávila University, Cuba. Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología - Serie de Conferencias. 2023;2:529. https://doi.org/10.56294/sctconf2023529 DOI: https://doi.org/10.56294/sctconf2023529

55. Jiménez Gómez JL, Carmona Suarez EJ. Construcción del pensamiento computacional mediante la incorporación de la educación STEM en el currículo de secundaria del departamento del Quindío (Colombia). Región Científica. 2023;2(1):202326. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202326 DOI: https://doi.org/10.58763/rc202326

Downloads

Published

2023-12-30

How to Cite

1.
Sánchez Castillo V. Environmental anthropology and health sciences: key aspects in medical education. Seminars in Medical Writing and Education [Internet]. 2023 Dec. 30 [cited 2025 Dec. 29];2:212. Available from: https://mw.ageditor.ar/index.php/mw/article/view/212