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CULTURAL EPIDEMIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM, 26-27 OCTOBER 2009

Scoping cultural epidemiology in the Antipodes

Within a context of the social determinants of health inequalities, there is renewed interest in culture as a determinant of health through the transmission of ideas, rules and practices. This interest is coalescing within the field of cultural epidemiology, which has been evolving over many decades as a hybrid of epidemiology and medical anthropology.

Following the recent work of Helman and Ulijaszek (from the UK), Trostle, Stall, Janes, Gifford (from the US and Australia) and Weiss (from Switzerland) we suggest that the cultural epidemiologist’s role is to use a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate the question: “what part do beliefs and practices (enculturated behaviours) play in contributing to health-related behaviours and consequent health outcomes?”

Equally important, cultural epidemiologists can play a part in illuminating the powerful cultural transitions in society through examining disease risk patterns: much like Emile Durkheim did with studies on suicide. That work reflected a view from the influential 19th century anthropologist and doctor, Rudolph Virchow that “disease is a disturbance of culture”.

SYMPOSIUM OBJECTIVES

1. To scope the terrain of a cultural epidemiology approach that resonates with Australian and New Zealand intellectual and cultural conditions. International presentations will be used to reflect what might be uniquely Antipodean
2. To provide examples of studies that focus of culture-health interactions
3. To supply chapters for a Cultural Epidemiology Reader, designed as a text book for post-graduate public health and medical anthropology courses.

Symposium Program

MONDAY 26 October

Welome to Country

1-2pm	Keynote speakers: Dr. Maggie Walter, University of Tasmania, and Jill Guthrie, Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
2-3pm	Proffered papers
3-3.15pm	Break
3.15-5pm	Proffered papers
6pm	Dinner at Vivaldi's, ANU campus, with Panel Discussion The interactive over-dinner session will involve dialogue with policy makers and researchers about what it means to intervene in culture. Is cultural intervention possible or desirable? What are the relevant cultural pressure points for mitigating health risks factors?

TUESDAY 27 October

9-10.30am	Keynote speaker: Prof Claude Fischler, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris
10.30-11am	Morning tea
11am-12noon	Panel of international researchers from CDC Bangladesh and Stanley Ulijaszek, Oxford University (TBC)
12noon-1pm	Lunch
1-3pm	Proffered papers
3.30-4.30pm	Participant discussion - Is there a distinct form of cultural epidemiology being practiced in Australia and New Zealand. What does it have to offer public health policy, practice and research?

PUBLIC LECTURE: 5-6pm Professor Stanley Ulijaszek, Oxford University (TBC)

 

REGISTER ONLINE

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Call for Abstracts

We call for presentations that illustrate the breadth of research being undertaken in Australia and New Zealand which: a) focus on culture as part of the multi-factorial aetiology of disease; or b) use the study of disease risk factor patterns to provide fundamental insights about the operation of cultural phenomena.

Presentations in the form of posters or short talks of 15 minutes duration will be accepted.

To participate please submit an abstract of 250 words, and nominate whether this is a poster or talk.

Please email your abstracts to annie.carroll@anu.edu.au by August 1st, 2009.

Co-Convenors: Jane Dixon & Cathy Banwell