Gremba, Allison
(2020)
BIOCULTURAL ANALYSIS OF OTITIS MEDIA AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO TRADITIONAL SKELETAL STRESS MARKERS IN THE ASSESSMENT OF STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
This is the latest version of this item.
Abstract
This dissertation explored the relationship between traditional skeletal stress markers and mastoid air cell system (MACS) hypopneumatization, as a measure of otitis media (OM), using the proposed biocultural skeletal stress marker pathway to examine structural violence. Low socioeconomic status and marginalization are known risk factors of OM resulting from immunosuppression and increased pathogen exposure. Structural violence, which is the unequal distribution of resources in a society, is expected to create stressful conditions resulting in an increase in OM prevalence among the marginalized segment of the society.
Structural violence was examined using skulls from the Hamann-Todd Human Osteological Collection (n=20) and Robert J. Terry Anatomical Skeletal Collection (n=105). The Tigara, Point Hope Skeletal Collection (n=69) was a control group that did not experience structural violence and was expected to have a low prevalence of OM. The skeletal stress markers included in this dissertation were limited to the cranium and included porotic hyperostosis, cribra orbitalia, sinusitis, antemortem tooth loss, periapical granulomatous lesions, periodontal disease and dental enamel hypoplasia. Correlations between MACS hypopneumatization, measured skeletal stress markers and skeletal collections were made using the Chi-square test of independence, Student’s t-test and analysis of variance (p<0.05).
The results suggest that MACS hypopneumatization is a skeletal stress marker capable of delineating differences in marginalization and structural violence. MACS hypopneumatization was lower than expected in the Terry collection and co-occurred with porotic hyperostosis, which is a measure of anemia. Clinical data suggests that anemia exacerbates OM resulting in more frequent OM episodes. The results suggest that structural violence created conditions, such as anemia, in the marginalized group which increased OM prevalence. However, it is also likely that some individuals experienced OM complications of hearing loss and language delays which were perceived as learning disabilities and were carried into adulthood resulting in lower socioeconomic status and incorporation into the skeletal collections examined. The relationship between OM and anemia should continue to be tested within other populations, using additional theoretical models and incorporating postcranial skeletal stress markers using the proposed biocultural skeletal stress marker pathway.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
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| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
8 June 2020 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
10 December 2019 |
| Approval Date: |
8 June 2020 |
| Submission Date: |
19 October 2019 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
184 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences > Anthropology |
| Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
otitis media, OM, structural violence, mastoid air cell system, MACS, skeletal stress markers |
| Date Deposited: |
08 Jun 2020 16:15 |
| Last Modified: |
08 Jun 2020 16:15 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/38256 |
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BIOCULTURAL ANALYSIS OF OTITIS MEDIA AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO TRADITIONAL SKELETAL STRESS MARKERS IN THE ASSESSMENT OF STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE. (deposited 08 Jun 2020 16:15)
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