L29 & L30

Question 1

Example of how selection pressures create innate biological differences

skin color and ultraviolet radiation

Answer 1

• skin color is strongly correlated UVR exposure of a population historically
• UVR produces vitamin D, which leads to damage repair and strong bones
• overexposure to UVR leads to cell damage and skin cancer

Question 2

Culture-gene coevolution

Answer 2

• cultural practices influence genetic development
• as culture evolves, new selection pressures are placed on genome, which evolves in response to pressures

Example
* traditional Inuit diet “country food” consists of plenty fish rich in vitamin D
* lighter skin (i.e. UVR exposure) not necessary to absorb vitamin D
* melanin prevents UVR damage (e.g. skin cancer)

Question 3

Example of culture-gene coevolution in developing lactose intolerance

Answer 3

• lactose intolerance: many people lack enzyme lactase to process lactose (sugars in dairy products)
• proportion of population that can digest lactose is associated with regions with cow domestication and dairy production

e.g. East and West Africa, Southwest Asia, Northern and Western Europe

Question 4

Acquired biological differences

e.g. Moken people

Answer 4

proximal cultural effects on one’s biology, independent of genes

Example
* Moken people, who live on water, show extreme pupil constriction and better acuity under water
* Non-Moken people need training to control pupil size

Question 5

Biphasic sleep

evolutionary evidence for cultural component in sleep

Answer 5

2 phases of sleep seen in subsistence societies:
1. Sleep after dusk, wake up during the night and engage in activities (e.g. sex)
2. Sleep again and wake up around dawn

over time, the 2 phases are combined

Question 6

Cultural differences in sleep length

Answer 6

• Asians sleep for shorter time compared to Westerners (e.g. Japanese in Japan sleep an hour less than Euro-Canadians)
• Bicultural group (Asian Canadians) suggest impact of local norms, not genes

Question 7

Cultural differences in beliefs about sleep

Answer 7

• Euro-Canadians and Asian Canadians have longer ideal amount of sleep
• Japanese exchange students suggest impact of local norms
• Japanese (in Japan) idealize an hour’s worth less of sleep

Question 8

Cultural differences in expectations about health consequences of sleep

Answer 8

• Japanese have a much weaker association between sleep and health
• only Japanese indicated a negative association

Question 9

Traditional Chinese medicine vs. American medicine

Answer 9

• TCM restores body balance through consumption of herbs and animals, accupuncture, etc.
• American medicine focuses on metaphor of “body is a machine” and doctors are more likely to perform surgery, prescribe high dose of antibiotics

Question 10

Cultural differences in Western medicine

examples with TCM and medical opinions

Answer 10

• Chinese doctors with Western medical training have a better impression of TCM and make more referrals to TCM specialists compared to non-Chinese, Western-trained doctors
• Doctors and laypeople from the same country have more strongly correlated medical opinions

Question 11

Psychological disorders

and the 2 kinds of syndroms

Answer 11

psychological states that cause subjective distress and impaired social functioning
1. universal syndromes (found across cultural settings)
2. culture-bound syndromes (found only in specific cultural settings

Question 12

9 major depressive disorder symptoms

Answer 12

• depressed mood
• inability to feel pleasure
• change in weight/appetite
• sleep problems
• suicidality
• fatigue or loss of energy
• feeling worthless
• poor concentration
• psychomotor change (e.g. poor hand-eye coordination)

diagnosed given at least 5 of the 9 symptoms

Question 13

Is MDD present across cultures?

Answer 13

found in all cultural environments studied (i.e. a universal syndrome) BUT cultural variability in prevalence rates

e.g. China has 1/5th of the depression rate observed in the US, possibly due to cultural expectations around the manifestation of the disorder

Question 14

MDD link to neurasthenia

in Chinese psychiatric patients

Answer 14

• seems like physical/somatic symptoms of depression without psychological issues
• may point to cultural differences in tendency to psychologize (US) vs. somatize (Chinese) depression symptoms

this affects what symptoms people report

Question 15

4 neurasthenia symptoms

Answer 15

• insomnia
• poor concentration
• poor appetite
• headaches

physical symptoms of depression

Question 16

Sinbyeong

culture-bound syndrome from DSM IV-TR

Answer 16

• translates to “spirit sickness”
• found in Korea, primarily among women
• seen as a spiritual calling to become a shaman

Question 17

6 symptoms of Sinbyeong

Answer 17

• dizziness and heart palpitations
• dissociation and possession
• insomnia
• loss of appetite
• hallucination
• communicating with spirits

Question 18

How can Sinbyeong be alleviated?

Answer 18

• only through passing an initiation ritual called kut to become a shaman
• involves accepting spiritual possessions and performing superhuman feats

Question 19

4 social determinants of health

Answer 19

1. social environment
2. physical environment
3. income
4. culture (i.e. discrimination)

Question 20

3 components of a land acknowledgement

Answer 20

1. traditional: territory where Musqueam people have engaged in traditional, cultural behaviors
2. ancestral: Musqueam people have been on this land since time immemorial
3. unceded: not territory that passed hands due to treaties or consent (i.e. stolen)

Question 21

Indian residential school systems

“to kill the Indian in the child”

Answer 21

assimilationist education system designed to eradicate and replace indigenous culture with Euro-Canadian culture by:
* building schools far away from Indigenous communities
* banning Indigenous languages and practices among children in school

• based on industrial boarding schools in the US
• abuse, disease, and poor sanitation led to high death tolls

Question 22

Evolution of Indian residential school systems

1880s, 1920, 1996

Answer 22

• 1880s: first residential schools established
• 1920: all Indigenous children required to attend and parents were arrested
• 1996: last residential school closed in Saskatchewan

Question 23

What does happiness mean for Inuits in Canada?

social environment as a social determinant of health

Answer 23

• family and kinship: happiness is shared between parents and children (e.g. loving, hugging, telling others about what’s making you happy)
• communication: talking leads to healing and positive emotional outcomes
• traditional knowledge & practice: e.g. eating healthy food from family

Question 24

Role of income for Inuits in Canada

social determinant of health

Answer 24

• low income = less access to nutrition, education, employment etc.
• higher unemployment rate compared to non-Indigenous people
• discrimination, seasonal jobs, lack of education = low employability = low economic power

lack of education also due to distrust of governmental educational programs due to residential schools

Question 25

Role of therapeutic landscapes for Inuits in Canada

physical environment as a social determinant of health

Answer 25

any physical environment associated with treatment and healing

Indigenous people feel deeply connected to the land (e.g. use herbs as medicine) so the land must be cared for