Review of the book: Preventing and Controlling Cancer in North America: A Cross-Cultural Perspective (Diane Weiner, ed., Praeger Publishers 1999). Illustrations, Introduction, Concluding Remarks, Bibliography, Index, About the Contributors. ISBN 0-275-96180-X [245 pp. $72.50 Hardbound, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881.

Yancey, Hunter

English

UNH Scholars' Repository

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)Volume 12Number 3 Issue number 3/4, Fall 2001 Article 12September 2001Review of: Preventing and Controlling Cancer inNorth America: A Cross- Cultural Perspective(Diane Weiner, ed.)Hunter YanceyFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/riskPart of the Medicine and Health Sciences Commons, and the Sociology of Culture CommonsThis Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the University of New Hampshire – School of Law at University of New HampshireScholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002) by an authorized editor of University ofNew Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact ellen.phillips@law.unh.edu.Repository CitationHunter Yancey, Review of: Preventing and Controlling Cancer in North America: A Cross- Cultural Perspective (Diane Weiner, ed.), 12 RISK337 (2001).Book Reviews 337Preventing and Controlling Cancer in North America: A Cross-Cultural Perspective (Diane Weiner, ed., Praeger Publishers 1999).Illustrations, Introduction, Concluding Remarks, Bibliography, Index,About the Contributors. ISBN 0-275-96180-X [245 pp. $72.50Hardbound, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881.]Preventing and Controlling Cancer in North America: A Cross-Cultural Perspective is a compilation of articles that discuss howdifferent North American cultures view cancer. The editor showcases"the multiple ways in which people, both lay and professional, createand enact their own cultures and subcultures of cancer."' The book isdivided into three sections: Part I - Cancer Beliefs and Behaviors, PartII - Interventions in Review, and Part III - New Strategies forCancer Research.Part I discusses how most cultures look for solutions to healthproblems that enable them to interpret and act on conditions of healthand illness that are linked to their own life experiences, relationships,and spirituality. 2 For example, the article, "The Metastasis ofWitchcraft: A Case Study of the Interrelationship between Traditionaland Biomedical Models" by Linda M. Hunt, introduces the reader toa Mexican family with a sick fourteen-year-old boy. The young boy,after having a foot ailment for two months, was brought to a hospitalwhere he was diagnosed with a small-cell tumor in his foot. When theboy arrived at the hospital, his foot had a raging infection that wasdischarging pus and was infested with maggots. The article shows theyoung boy's ailment from a medical and family's perspective. Themedical perspective was that the family was negligent in not bringingthe boy to the hospital sooner. The family, not understanding cancer,relied on their belief system and came to the conclusion that asupernatural snake had entered the boy's body. The family attemptedto solve this unknown problem by substituting their religious beliefs formedical science because they could not comprehend the cellularmutations that cause cancer.3I See Preventing and Controlling Cancer in North America: A Cross-CulturalPerspective 245 (Diane 'Weiner, ed., Praeger Publishers 1999).2 See id. at 220.3 See id. at 28-29.12 Risk. Health, Safety & Environment 337 [Fall 2001]Part II reports that although cancer survival rates are increasing,certain ethnic and minority groups are experiencing a decrease in cancersurvival rates. For example, Chapter 11, Native American CancerSurvivors: Agents for Change, reports that Native Americans have thepoorest survival rate of any racial group in this country.4Part III examines innovative research topics. The chapters areentitled: Developing Culturally Competent Community-BasedInterventions, Physical Activity and Cancer in Hispanic Populations:Is There a Relationship?, and Diet-Cancer Associations: InsightsOffered by Native Americans.Overall, the book is a languid read, but does achieve its editor'sobjectives. The book cites authorities well and presents many charts andtables to assist the reader in completing a journey through this book. Irecommend the book to anyone who ponders about the social, cultural,and behavioral aspects of cancer in North American cultures.Hunter Yancey t4 See id. at 133.t Mr. Yancey is a 2003 J.D. candidate at Franklin Pierce Law Center studyingIntellectual Property Law with an emphasis in patent litigation and prosecution. Hehas a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Review of: Preventing and Controlling Cancer in North America: A Cross-
Cultural Perspective (Diane Weiner, ed.)

University of New Hampshire

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)
Volume 12
Number 3 Issue number 3/4, Fall 2001 Article 12
September 2001
Review of: Preventing and Controlling Cancer in
North America: A Cross- Cultural Perspective
(Diane Weiner, ed.)
Hunter Yancey
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/risk
Part of the Medicine and Health Sciences Commons, and the Sociology of Culture Commons
This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the University of New Hampshire – School of Law at University of New Hampshire
Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002) by an authorized editor of University of
New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact ellen.phillips@law.unh.edu.
Repository Citation
Hunter Yancey, Review of: Preventing and Controlling Cancer in North America: A Cross- Cultural Perspective (Diane Weiner, ed.), 12 RISK
337 (2001).
Book Reviews 337
Preventing and Controlling Cancer in North America: A Cross-
Cultural Perspective (Diane Weiner, ed., Praeger Publishers 1999).
Illustrations, Introduction, Concluding Remarks, Bibliography, Index,
About the Contributors. ISBN 0-275-96180-X [245 pp. $72.50
Hardbound, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881.]
Preventing and Controlling Cancer in North America: A Cross-
Cultural Perspective is a compilation of articles that discuss how
different North American cultures view cancer. The editor showcases
"the multiple ways in which people, both lay and professional, create
and enact their own cultures and subcultures of cancer."' The book is
divided into three sections: Part I - Cancer Beliefs and Behaviors, Part
II - Interventions in Review, and Part III - New Strategies for
Cancer Research.
Part I discusses how most cultures look for solutions to health
problems that enable them to interpret and act on conditions of health
and illness that are linked to their own life experiences, relationships,
and spirituality. 2 For example, the article, "The Metastasis of
Witchcraft: A Case Study of the Interrelationship between Traditional
and Biomedical Models" by Linda M. Hunt, introduces the reader to
a Mexican family with a sick fourteen-year-old boy. The young boy,
after having a foot ailment for two months, was brought to a hospital
where he was diagnosed with a small-cell tumor in his foot. When the
boy arrived at the hospital, his foot had a raging infection that was
discharging pus and was infested with maggots. The article shows the
young boy's ailment from a medical and family's perspective. The
medical perspective was that the family was negligent in not bringing
the boy to the hospital sooner. The family, not understanding cancer,
relied on their belief system and came to the conclusion that a
supernatural snake had entered the boy's body. The family attempted
to solve this unknown problem by substituting their religious beliefs for
medical science because they could not comprehend the cellular
mutations that cause cancer.3
I See Preventing and Controlling Cancer in North America: A Cross-Cultural
Perspective 245 (Diane 'Weiner, ed., Praeger Publishers 1999).
2 See id. at 220.
3 See id. at 28-29.
12 Risk. Health, Safety & Environment 337 [Fall 2001]
Part II reports that although cancer survival rates are increasing,
certain ethnic and minority groups are experiencing a decrease in cancer
survival rates. For example, Chapter 11, Native American Cancer
Survivors: Agents for Change, reports that Native Americans have the
poorest survival rate of any racial group in this country.
4
Part III examines innovative research topics. The chapters are
entitled: Developing Culturally Competent Community-Based
Interventions, Physical Activity and Cancer in Hispanic Populations:
Is There a Relationship?, and Diet-Cancer Associations: Insights
Offered by Native Americans.
Overall, the book is a languid read, but does achieve its editor's
objectives. The book cites authorities well and presents many charts and
tables to assist the reader in completing a journey through this book. I
recommend the book to anyone who ponders about the social, cultural,
and behavioral aspects of cancer in North American cultures.
Hunter Yancey t
4 See id. at 133.
t Mr. Yancey is a 2003 J.D. candidate at Franklin Pierce Law Center studying
Intellectual Property Law with an emphasis in patent litigation and prosecution. He
has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.


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Review of: Preventing and Controlling Cancer in North America: A Cross- Cultural Perspective (Diane Weiner, ed.)

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