Centring a critical medical anthropology of COVID-19 in global health discourse

The concept of ‘health security’ has been increasingly apparent in recent years in both academic and policy discourses on transborder infectious disease threats. Yet it has been noted that there are a range of conceptualisations of ‘health security’ in circulation and that confusion over the concept is creating international tensions with some states (particularly from the Global South) fearing that ‘health security’ in reality means securing the West. This article examines these tensions but puts forward an alternative explanation for them. It begins by looking at the different ‘health securities' that characterise the contemporary global health discourse, arguing that there is in fact a good deal more consensus than we are often led to believe. In particular there is a high level of agreement evident over what the major threats to ‘health security’ are and what should be done about them. These are a particular set of health risks which are primarily seen as major threats by Western developed nations, and contemporary global responses – often couched in the language of global health security – have a tendency to focus on containment rather than prevention. The article makes the case that to resolve the tensions around (global) health security there is the need for a more explicit recognition of the primary beneficiaries of the current system, and of who is bearing the costs. Only following such a recognition can meaningful debates be carried out about the appropriate prioritisation of global health security in relation to other global health governance priorities.

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Why does juan garcía have a drinking problem? The perspective of critical medical anthropology

Medical Anthropology ◽

10.1080/01459740.1992.9966067 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 77-108 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

Merrill Singer ◽

Freddie Valentín ◽

Hans Baer ◽

Zhongke Jia

Keyword(s):

Medical Anthropology ◽

Drinking Problem ◽

Critical Medical Anthropology

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Challenges, health implications, and advocacy opportunities for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender global health providers

Global Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/1757975916677504 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 70-73 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jason M. Nagata

Keyword(s):

Global Health ◽

Sexual Behaviors ◽

Coming Out ◽

Global Health Research ◽

Health Providers ◽

Lgbt Health ◽

Physical Health Outcomes ◽

Bisexual And Transgender ◽

Critical Medical Anthropology ◽

Mental And Physical Health

In this commentary, I reflect on challenges with conducting global health research internationally as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) person, grapple with decisions related to coming out in regions with anti-LGBT laws, and outline the risks and benefits of different advocacy options related to the promotion of LGBT health globally. Despite significant advances in LGBT rights in many countries, homosexuality remains illegal in many others. Using a critical medical anthropology framework, I argue that anti-LGBT laws constitute structural violence and have many detrimental consequences including discrimination and violence; poorer mental and physical health outcomes; and risky sexual behaviors. As a global health provider, there are many options for the promotion of LGBT health worldwide.

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