Medicinal Plant Use as an Adaptive Strategy in the Bolivian Andes: Evidence from the Quechua Community of Apillapampa

摘要: Traditional medicine is an important cultural tradition in the Andes and keeps a central role daily lives of many rural urban Andean peoples. Several studies have shown that even with increased accessibility to Western medicine, Andeans are still highly dependent on traditional medicine. This chapter examines reasons for such conservative behavior by discussing possible barriers apart from physical distance limit use health care medical products Approach shaped complex intertwining ecological, sociocultural, political, economic, historical constrains. Factors as tradition, psychological barrier, economic constrains discussed here. Additionally, components verticality, specialization, reciprocity pointed out stimulators development extensive ethnomedicinal knowledge among populations. I particularly expand upon ecological perspective Andeans’ medicinal plant combat problems, strong focus verticality specialization. Where relevant, link made several sociocultural factors influence use.