Approaches to Health Disparities in Anthropology: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Methods

Quantitative and Qualitative
Approaches to Health in
Anthropology
Ben Gonzalez
Outline
Introduction
What is medical anthropology?
Why is health of interest to
anthropologists?
Quantitative methods
Disparities in Context
Qualitative methods
Producing the Qualified
Comparing and contrasting methods
Moving forward with methods in
health
Health in anthropology
Medical anthropology
Incorporates social, cultural, biological, and
linguistic anthropology
Factors which influence what we know as
“health”
Why health?
Medicinal practices/beliefs
Idea of the body
Sociocultural norms
Human health institutions
Social construction of knowledge and
politics of science
 
Disparities in Context
- Quantitative Research
Completed in Summer 2019 at University of Texas at Austin
Part of independent NSF REU program
Dealt with insurance coverage rates of Latino vs. white
respondents in Texas
Secondary data analysis
Used existing data
Research Questions:
How are disparities in health insurance coverage distributed
differently across public and private insurance types?
How much of the disparity is related to socioeconomic status?
Disparities in Context
- Methodology
Data
ACS 2017: Nationally representative sample by
Census Bureau
Individual-level data
Texas residents ages 18-45
n=76,842
Methods
Logistic regression
3 Outcome variables: whether or not
respondent has any, public or private insurance
Controlled for socioeconomic status, family
structure and age, and immigration status
Odds-ratios for Latino coverage vs. white
Disparities in Context
- Results
Findings
After controlling for socioeconomic status
(SES), still a large disparity in coverage
Controlling for immigration status largely
reduced the disparity
These trends hold true across different types of
insurance (but especially private)
Implications
There is more to health insurance disparities
than class
System avoidance
Could inform how institutions approach
different populations
Benefits of quantitative study
Producing the Qualified
- Qualitative Research
Green and Healthy Homes (GHH)
Lead-based paint removal and renovation program
for San Antonio
Families must meet specific requirements
Income level
Age of home
Age of children in home (focus of study)
Families must live in house for 5 years after
renovation, or pay back cost
Research questions
How do environmental hazards constitute a public
health threat, and how do public institutions
systematize responses to that threat?
How do requirements for public health programs
inform our understanding and prioritization of
public health itself?
Producing the Qualified
- Methodology
Community Data
Interviews with 4 GHH residents
Observational data on 30 homes
Outreach events between city & community
City Data
10 interviews with various city officials
Lead inspection
Outreach events between city & community
Qualitative Data and Analysis:
Required IRB approval
Informants (anonymous) found through mix of
city data, word of mouth, referrals
Transcriptions and analysis
Theoretical focus and development changed
over time
Producing the Qualified
- Results
Focus on child’s measurable health
Blood Lead Levels (BLLs)
Requirements for qualification
Methods of recruitment
“Clients” and “Collective investments”
Residents not simple beneficiary, but entering into a
contract
5-year covenant protects “investment” by city
Success conditions of GHH programs
Implications
Neoliberal structure of state-funded aid
Public health’s focus on protecting bodies
Benefits of qualitative analysis
Research questions
How do environmental hazards constitute a public
health threat, and how do public institutions
systematize responses to that threat?
How do requirements for public health programs
inform our understanding and prioritization of public
health itself?
Comparing and Contrasting Methods
Quantitative
More easily generalizable
Can speak to broader trends across larger scope
Can directly build off previous data
More rigid structure
Often less resource-intensive
Qualitative
More focused
Speaks in-depth but to a narrower scope
Not as easily summarizable
Looser, fluid theoretical structure
Often more resource-intensive
Methods and
Health in
Anthropology
Both method categories offer unique aspects to
the study of health
Measurable outcomes vs. the power of a narrative
Future research
Quantitative:
Human health outcomes affected by
climate change
Medicare-for-all and its societal
implications
Qualitative:
LGBTQ+ health identities and how bodies
are conceptualized
COVID-19 and social responsibility
Thank you! Any Questions?
Ben Gonzalez
bencruzgonzalez@gmail.com
Image credits
Photos of Dignowity Hill:
https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Dignowity-Hill_San-Antonio_TX
https://www.sanantonio.gov/historic/scoutsa/HistoricDistricts/Dignowity-Hill
All other images are researcher’s own, or retrieved from 
pixabay.com
 under 
“free for commercial or non-commercial
use license”
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Exploring health in anthropology involves various factors like social, cultural, biological, and linguistic influences. This content delves into the quantitative research on disparities in health insurance coverage, particularly focusing on Latino vs. white respondents in Texas. The study utilized logistic regression analysis, revealing significant disparities even after controlling for socioeconomic and immigration status. The findings emphasize the importance of examining systemic influences on health disparities and suggest implications for institutional approaches to different populations.


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  1. Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches to Health in Anthropology Ben Gonzalez

  2. Outline Introduction What is medical anthropology? Why is health of interest to anthropologists? Quantitative methods Disparities in Context Qualitative methods Producing the Qualified Comparing and contrasting methods Moving forward with methods in health

  3. Health in anthropology Medical anthropology Incorporates social, cultural, biological, and linguistic anthropology Factors which influence what we know as health Why health? Medicinal practices/beliefs Idea of the body Sociocultural norms Human health institutions Social construction of knowledge and politics of science

  4. Disparities in Context- Quantitative Research Completed in Summer 2019 at University of Texas at Austin Part of independent NSF REU program Dealt with insurance coverage rates of Latino vs. white respondents in Texas Secondary data analysis Used existing data Research Questions: How are disparities in health insurance coverage distributed differently across public and private insurance types? How much of the disparity is related to socioeconomic status?

  5. Disparities in Context- Methodology Data ACS 2017: Nationally representative sample by Census Bureau Individual-level data Texas residents ages 18-45 n=76,842 Methods Logistic regression 3 Outcome variables: whether or not respondent has any, public or private insurance Controlled for socioeconomic status, family structure and age, and immigration status Odds-ratios for Latino coverage vs. white

  6. Disparities in Context- Results Findings After controlling for socioeconomic status (SES), still a large disparity in coverage Controlling for immigration status largely reduced the disparity These trends hold true across different types of insurance (but especially private) Implications There is more to health insurance disparities than class System avoidance Could inform how institutions approach different populations Benefits of quantitative study

  7. Producing the Qualified- Qualitative Research Green and Healthy Homes (GHH) Lead-based paint removal and renovation program for San Antonio Families must meet specific requirements Income level Age of home Age of children in home (focus of study) Families must live in house for 5 years after renovation, or pay back cost Research questions How do environmental hazards constitute a public health threat, and how do public institutions systematize responses to that threat? How do requirements for public health programs inform our understanding and prioritization of public health itself?

  8. Producing the Qualified- Methodology Community Data Interviews with 4 GHH residents Observational data on 30 homes Outreach events between city & community City Data 10 interviews with various city officials Lead inspection Outreach events between city & community Qualitative Data and Analysis: Required IRB approval Informants (anonymous) found through mix of city data, word of mouth, referrals Transcriptions and analysis Theoretical focus and development changed over time

  9. Producing the Qualified- Results Focus on child s measurable health Blood Lead Levels (BLLs) Requirements for qualification Methods of recruitment Clients and Collective investments Residents not simple beneficiary, but entering into a contract 5-year covenant protects investment by city Success conditions of GHH programs Implications Neoliberal structure of state-funded aid Public health s focus on protecting bodies Benefits of qualitative analysis Research questions How do environmental hazards constitute a public health threat, and how do public institutions systematize responses to that threat? How do requirements for public health programs inform our understanding and prioritization of public health itself?

  10. Comparing and Contrasting Methods Quantitative Qualitative More easily generalizable Can speak to broader trends across larger scope Can directly build off previous data More rigid structure Often less resource-intensive More focused Speaks in-depth but to a narrower scope Not as easily summarizable Looser, fluid theoretical structure Often more resource-intensive

  11. Methods and Health in Anthropology Both method categories offer unique aspects to the study of health Measurable outcomes vs. the power of a narrative Future research Quantitative: Human health outcomes affected by climate change Medicare-for-all and its societal implications Qualitative: LGBTQ+ health identities and how bodies are conceptualized COVID-19 and social responsibility

  12. Thank you! Any Questions? Ben Gonzalez bencruzgonzalez@gmail.com

  13. Image credits Photos of Dignowity Hill: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Dignowity-Hill_San-Antonio_TX https://www.sanantonio.gov/historic/scoutsa/HistoricDistricts/Dignowity-Hill All other images are researcher s own, or retrieved from pixabay.com under free for commercial or non-commercial use license

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