Relief, risk and renewal
Scope
This article addresses the Australian suburb community residents’ perspective on using alternative and complementary medicine in the current environment. The matter is examined through the lens of an anthropological study conducted in a suburban area referred to as Oceanpoint (Connor, 2004). The aim was to investigate the underlying reasons behind the increasing proliferation of alternative treatment options within the community. To fulfill the purpose of the study, its author analyzes 111 semi-structured interviews, encouraging the respondents to reflect upon their lives and the role of complementary versus conventional medicine in them.
Argument
From the perspective of this article, the anthropological considerations of illness, its origins, and remedies become the focus of attention. According to Connor (2004), these psychological and ethnographic aspects prevail within the community. More specifically, personal views likely prevail in society, bearing more weight than evidence-based scientific knowledge. Thus, the author’s findings are likely to improve the understanding of the factors that affect the decision-making process of regimen seeking treatment. The
Conclusion
Even though the governmental perspective exclusively supports biomedical interventions, complementary medicine has seen an increasing proliferation within the Australian communities. Connor (2004) concludes that the perceived effect of treatment is more valuable for the Oceanpoint residents than evidence or scientific knowledge. While the exact reasons may vary, in most cases, the use of mixed regimens is dictated by the inner desire to undermine the biomedical side of the disease through self-actualization. Overall, the authors highlight the collision of facts and subjectivity that prompts people to rely on alternative and mixed therapies when conventional medicine is deemed ineffective. This conclusion is logical form an anthropological perspective, meeting the purpose of the study.
Parental management of childhood complaints
Scope
The scope of the study revolves around the increasing use of over-the-counter medicines (OCM). According to Trajanovska et al. (2009), this topic is related to the advice-seeking behavior of parents, responding to their children’s complaints. Thus, the study examines this behavior to understand the factors that affect parents’ decision-making. To do so, the authors recruited 325 parents and examined their decision-making patterns. This sampling will likely provide insight into the matter at hand, promoting the safe use of OCMs.
Argument
The primary argument of the study states that parents seek convenient options of treatment that would combine safety with efficiency. Trajanovska et al. (2009) stated that most parents actively used OCMs in less serious conditions, such as rash and wheeziness. However, 82% of the respondents follow doctors’ advice when purchasing specific over-the-counter medicines. Interestingly, the medicine’s perceived effectiveness in the past is another critical factor, combined with the insights from families and friends. This shows that parents want to relieve their children’s complaints with the most efficient solutions that are easily available. In addition, past knowledge continues to reside within familial units, as parents are not prepared to experiment with their children’s treatment.
Conclusion
The extensive use of OCMs is inconsistent with the growing importance of self-care within communities. Trajanovska et al. (2009) conclude that it is easier for parents to purchase such medicines without the need to make long clinical visits and obtain prescriptions. In this regard, they appear to opt for a combination of safety, efficiency, and availability of symptom management options. In addition, the reliance on past knowledge and experience is another factor in decision-making. The authors make a valuable contribution to understanding human reasoning, paving new avenues for medical community education in the future.
Comparison
Both presented articles examine the profound factors determining human decision-making when seeking medical treatment. However, they introduced different contexts in which varying variables exercise their effect. From one perspective, personal self-care favors complementary medical practices against doctors’ advice. On the other hand, parents resort to professional opinions when their children need help. Thus, child care introduces new variables, implying that people may be less considerate when help is needed by themselves. At the same time, both articles emphasize the role of past knowledge and community experience in treatment options.
Reference List
Connor, L. H. (2004) ‘Relief, risk and renewal: mixed therapy regimens in an Australian suburb’, Social Science & Medicine, 59, pp. 1695–1705.
Trajanovska, M et al. (2009) ‘Parental management of childhood complaints: over-the-counter medicine use and advice-seeking behaviors’, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 19, pp. 2065–2075.