Task -2 (Summary)

This chapter deals with bicultural elements that have drawn the attention of anthropologists.

It studies the impact of cultural and social factors on the health and illness of individuals.

Anthropologists have given special attention to the bodily experiences adhered to the social

and cultural distribution of the resources as well as the environment. Mental illness is always

associated with cultural and social factors because Normal and abnormal behaviors are

defined through the norm of societies. Not all societies have universal norms to be followed

which also indicates that psychological conditions have adhered to cultural and social values.

Although the illness is an individualistic concept it is also shaped by culture to a larger

extent. Compared to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when doctors were not valuable

and they were double as barbers, the modern era has provided a prestigious status to the

doctor. The reason is advancements and discoveries in the field of medicine. The chapter

concluded with a discussion of global health issues.