essay

Type II diabetes mellitus: technological development and the Oklahoma Cherokee

encounters with biomedicine : case studies in medical anthropology1 • Published In 1987 • Pages: 43-71

By: Wiedman, Dennis William.

Abstract
This case study in medical anthropology details the technological developments which happened concurrently with the first detrimental symptoms of type II diabetes mellitus among the Cherokee of Oklahoma following the year 1940. Previous to this year there were no reported diabetic cases among Oklahoma Native Americans, but by the 1960s this disease have reached epidemic proportions. Based on ethnographic, historic and archaeological records the author documents the Cherokee's rapid cultural change from an agricultural to an industrial economy over a ten year period from 1936 to 1946. This infrastructural change resulted in nutritional and lifestyle changes which contributed to obesity and the onset of detrimental diabetic symptoms (p. 66).
Subjects
Theoretical orientation in research and its results
Genetics
Nutrition
Morbidity
Tillage
culture
Cherokee
HRAF PubDate
2000
Region
North America
Sub Region
Eastern Woodlands
Document Type
essay
Evaluation
Creator Type
Physician
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
John Beierle ; 2006
Field Date
1977-1979
Coverage Date
1838-1990
Coverage Place
southeastern states and Oklahoma, United States
Notes
Dennis W. Wiedman
Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-71)
LCCN
87011988
LCSH
Cherokee Indians