Date Approved

2018

Degree Type

Open Access Senior Honors Thesis

Department or School

Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology

First Advisor

Megan Moore

Second Advisor

Julian Murchison

Abstract

While Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a disorder that has been studied since the mid-1800s, it is still considered to be one of the most common chronic illnesses that no one has ever heard of. The etiology of POTS is well described in modem medical literature, but the disorder continues to be misdiagnosed or overlooked entirely in patients. By reviewing historical literature, patient narratives, and cross-cultural medical literature on POTS through the context of the disease vs illness model developed by medical anthropologists, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of POTS to facilitate more positive outcomes in physician-patient interactions.

Included in

Anthropology Commons

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