Applied medical anthropologists were not involved with improving communication between healthcare professionals and the Hmong served by the hospital, nor did they advocate for the Lee family, and they did not attempt to develop health interventions for the Hmong community in Merced.
The social worker, Jeanine Hilt came the closest to acting as a "cultural broker" for the Lee family. The foster parents, Tom and Dee Korda did seem to advocate for the Lee family at times. The Lee family was labeled as non-compliant even though all of the healthcare professionals caring for Lia were aware of the language barrier and cultural differences involved. Two of Lia's doctors, Neil Ernst and Peggy Philp attempted to learn about the Hmong culture, but never really understood the soul part (Fadiman 2012:1-288).
If there had been critical medical anthropologists involved with the Hmong community maybe the doctors would not have had so much control over Lia in regards to her treatment and placement in foster care. It seems like the entire Hmong population living in Merced and the healthcare professionals caring for the Hmong in Merced should have been educated on the two different cultures. Education may have prevented the "collision of the two cultures."
The social worker, Jeanine Hilt came the closest to acting as a "cultural broker" for the Lee family. The foster parents, Tom and Dee Korda did seem to advocate for the Lee family at times. The Lee family was labeled as non-compliant even though all of the healthcare professionals caring for Lia were aware of the language barrier and cultural differences involved. Two of Lia's doctors, Neil Ernst and Peggy Philp attempted to learn about the Hmong culture, but never really understood the soul part (Fadiman 2012:1-288).
If there had been critical medical anthropologists involved with the Hmong community maybe the doctors would not have had so much control over Lia in regards to her treatment and placement in foster care. It seems like the entire Hmong population living in Merced and the healthcare professionals caring for the Hmong in Merced should have been educated on the two different cultures. Education may have prevented the "collision of the two cultures."