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An Anthropology of Caregiving

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Multidisciplinary Coordinated Caregiving

Part of the book series: Caregiving: Research • Practice • Policy ((CARE))

Abstract

Anthropology is a lens through which we might understand the diversity of issues inherent in the ways that contemporary humans care for one another. The anthropology of caregiving provides an understanding of the range of behaviors, perceptions, and feelings associated with providing care for another person. Culture, a concept central to anthropology, comprises the implicit and explicit set of assumptions, behavioral guidelines, and interconnected beliefs that are shared by members of a society (Helman, Culture, health and illness, 2001). Culture shapes both the experience of illness and that of giving care, and informs the ways that these roles are perceived by others. Illness behaviors are often linked to social factors, gender norms, ethnic factors, and politics, as well as differences in philosophies, cultures, and in socioeconomic status (Brown and Barrett Understanding and applying medical anthropology, 2009). This chapter will explore fundamental concepts from medical anthropology and describe their contributions to our understanding of caregiving.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 141-2 Anatomy and Chemistry, 3620 Hamilton Walk, 19104, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Frances K. Barg PhD, MEd

  2. Philadelphia, USA

    Shimrit Keddem MS, Wendy Shiekman Cohen & Rebecca Henderson

Authors
  1. Frances K. Barg PhD, MEd
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  2. Shimrit Keddem MS
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  3. Wendy Shiekman Cohen
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  4. Rebecca Henderson
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Correspondence to Frances K. Barg PhD, MEd .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA

    Ronda C. Talley

  2. College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA

    Shirley S. Travis

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Barg, F., Keddem, S., Shiekman Cohen, W., Henderson, R. (2014). An Anthropology of Caregiving. In: Talley, R., Travis, S. (eds) Multidisciplinary Coordinated Caregiving. Caregiving: Research • Practice • Policy. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8973-3_9

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