In Santa Maria, Bolivia, there is a
group called the Tsimane who have recently become popular to many medical
studies. They prove to be the perfect group for various medical studies,
because they live a typical traditional lifestyle. This means they can be the
perfect comparison to the western world. So, recently many doctors have moved
into the area to conduct studies. This movement of medical teams brought up a
serious question: since these medical teams were being a bother to the Tsimane
people, do the researchers owe it to them to provide basic medical care? The
researchers decided the answer to that question was yes; they did have a moral
obligation to provide free medicine for common problems like stomach parasites,
and analysis of blood, urine, and feces. Then the question arose: how is it
possible to study health conditions of a people that you are indeed changing?
The answer is that treating minor aliments such as the previously mentioned
does not affect the long-term and chronic disease being studied. The Tsimane
have shown significantly less cases of heart disease, diabetes, and higher
omega-3 fatty acids in breast milk which are crucial for brain development than
that of the western world.
It seems
that the arrangement in Santa Maria is great for both the researchers and the
people of Tsimane. The researchers are helping the people to have basic health
care while the Tsimane people are allowing their lifestyles to be used for
westerners to learn more about how to obtain good health. This though could
turn out adversely if the Tsimane become too modernized over time with the
influence of modern medicine.
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