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Medicine and Culture: people, prescriptions and practice
Our projects are varied and guided generally by student interests. Presently we
are looking at four general areas as shown below but other areas are developing
all the time.
Cultural and Chemical Properties of Medicinal Herbs: We are looking at herbs
that are used for a variety of medicinal uses, comparing the properties and mode
of action with that of medications prescribed by allopathic physicians (MD).
Other studies include looking at diseases and medical conditions that are
treated by herbs in a variety of cultures. These studies will include field
interviews with alternate healers to compare and contrast their recommendations
with that in the literature.
Training, practice and patient utilization of
alternative healers in Southern California: Presently we are studying
the training, background and practices of sobador(a)s
and yerbero(a)s. This project involves
interviews and literature analysis.
Survey analysis of the training, opinions and practices of Whittier
graduates who are physicians and local Hispanic physicians. A survey was
composed and sent to MDs and now the project is focused on statistical
treatment of the data, publication and dissemination of the results.
Medical Cultural Competency training: We are studying the training in
cultural differences that physician receive with a view towards developing
an undergraduate program at Whittier which will be one of the first in the
nation.
Interested? See Dr. Bell (Science 307)
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