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Mitigating Chronic Diseases during Archaeological Fieldwork

Lessons from Managing Asthma, Diabetes, and Depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 March 2021

Carla Klehm Open the ORCID record for Carla Klehm [Opens in a new window] ,
Elisabeth Hildebrand  and
Maureen S. Meyers Open the ORCID record for Maureen S. Meyers [Opens in a new window]
Carla Klehm*
Affiliation:
Center of Advanced Spatial Technologies, University of Arkansas, 227 N. Harmon Avenue, Fayetteville, AR72701, USA; Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, 525 Old Main, Fayetteville, AR72701, USA
Elisabeth Hildebrand
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Circle Road, SBS Building S-501, Stony Brook, NY11794, USA (elisabeth.hildebrand@stonybrook.edu)
Maureen S. Meyers
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Mississippi, 510 Lamar Hall, 615 Grove Loop, Oxford, MS38655, USA (memeyer1@olemiss.edu)
*
(cklehm@gmail.com, corresponding author)
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Abstract

Chronic diseases and preexisting conditions shape daily life for many archaeologists both in and out of the field. Chronic issues, however, can be overlooked in safety planning, which more often focuses on emergency situations because they are considered mundane, or they are imperceptible to project directors and crews until a serious problem arises. This article focuses on asthma, diabetes, and depression as common medical conditions that impact otherwise healthy archaeologists during fieldwork, with the goal of raising awareness of these conditions in particular, and the need to be more attentive to chronic diseases in general. Archaeological fieldwork presents novel situations that put those with chronic diseases and preexisting conditions at risk: environmental hazards, remoteness from medical and social resources and networks, lack of group awareness, and varying cultural norms. As a result, if chronic diseases are not attended to properly in the field, they can lead to life-threatening situations. Managing the risk presented by these conditions requires a group culture where team members are aware of issues, as appropriate, and collaborate to mitigate them during fieldwork. Descriptions of how chronic diseases affect archaeologists in the field are followed by “best practice” recommendations for self-management and for group leaders.

Las enfermedades crónicas y las condiciones preexistentes son parte de la vida diaria de muchos arqueólogos, tanto dentro como fuera del campo. Sin embargo, los problemas crónicos pueden obviarse en la planificación de seguridad, pues esta se limita a situaciones de emergencia, por lo que estos problemas resultan triviales e imperceptibles para los directores de proyectos y los equipos hasta que surge un problema grave. Este artículo se enfoca en el asma, la diabetes y la depresión como afecciones médicas comunes que impactan a los arqueólogos, por lo demás saludables, durante el trabajo de campo, con el objetivo de crear conciencia sobre estas afecciones en particular y la necesidad de dar importancia a las enfermedades crónicas en general. El trabajo de campo arqueológico presenta situaciones inusuales que ponen en riesgo a quienes padecen enfermedades crónicas y condiciones preexistentes: peligros ambientales, lejanía de recursos y redes médicas y sociales, falta de conciencia de grupo y normas culturales variables. Como resultado, si las necesidades de tratamiento para el asma, la diabetes y la depresión no son atendidas adecuadamente en el campo, pueden provocar situaciones que pongan en riesgo la vida. La gestión de riesgo que conllevan estas condiciones requiere de una cultura grupal en que los miembros del equipo sean conscientes de los problemas, según corresponda, y colaboren para mitigarlos durante el trabajo de campo. Las descripciones de cómo estas condiciones afectan a los arqueólogos en el campo van seguidas de recomendaciones de “buenas prácticas” para la autogestión y para los líderes de grupo.

Keywords

healthwellnessarchaeological fieldworkethicsrisk mitigationchronic diseasespre-existing conditionsasthmadiabetesdepressionsaludbienstartrabajo de campo arqueológicola ciencia éticagestión de riesgoenfermedades crónicascondiciones preexistentesasmadiabetesdepresión
Type
How to Series
Information
Advances in Archaeological Practice , Volume 9 , Special Issue 1: Health and Wellness in Archaeology: Improving Readiness and Response , February 2021 , pp. 41 - 48
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for American Archaeology

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