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Anthropology and Epidemiology pp 97–123Cite as

Epidemiological Research on Infectious Disease: Quantitative Rigor or Rigormortis? Insights from Ethnomedicine

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Part of the book series: Culture, Illness, and Healing ((CIHE,volume 9))

Abstract

Epidemiology often forsakes the richness of a people’s way of living for quantitative rigor. And, although statistical calculations may be built on valid mathematical models, they run a serious risk of being inaccurate by excluding a vital human element: the way people really approach illness and cope with death.

Field research was made possible by the Federal University of Ceará, the Maternidade Escola Assis Chateaubriand, the University of Virginia, Division of Geographic Medicine, and the W. K Kellogg Foundation. Additional supp[rt was provided by the National Center for Health Services Research, OASH (Grant number 1 RO3 HSO4437-01) and the Pan American Health Organization. Projects are currently being supported by Primary Health Care Operations Rearch and The Edna Mc Connell Clack Foundation.

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Authors
  1. Marilyn K. Nations
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, USA

    Craig R. Janes

  2. Department of Urban Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

    Ron Stall

  3. The Alcohol Research Group, Berkeley, California, USA

    Ron Stall

  4. Division of Community Health, State Health Commission of Victoria, Australia

    Sandra M. Gifford

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© 1986 D. Reidel Publishing Company

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Nations, M.K. (1986). Epidemiological Research on Infectious Disease: Quantitative Rigor or Rigormortis? Insights from Ethnomedicine. In: Janes, C.R., Stall, R., Gifford, S.M. (eds) Anthropology and Epidemiology. Culture, Illness, and Healing, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3723-9_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3723-9_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-277-2249-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-3723-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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