The social and human sciences, including health anthropology and ethnomedicine, offer valuable tools for understanding patients, their therapeutic journeys, and the complex dynamics influencing health. Integrating these perspectives into healthcare education and the healthcare system allows us to provide care that is better suited to patients’ realities and promote greater equity in access to healthcare. The future of health requires continuous dialogue between biomedicine and traditional knowledge to build a truly inclusive healthcare system that respects cultural diversity.
This article highlights the importance of medical and health anthropology for medical practice, particularly for general practitioners. Cultural beliefs, social practices, and contexts (historical, political, economic) influence the health of the population.
A new University Certificate in Medical and Health Anthropology at UCLouvain aims to raise healthcare professionals’ awareness of these issues and prepare them for a more holistic and inclusive approach to healthcare, with the purpose of improving the quality of care and its adaptation to the various needs of patients.