Research
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Cultural Factors Impacting Breast Cancer Treatments in the World
By Leela Sharma, May 2024
Cancer is an epidemic that impacts the physical, emotional, financial, and social well-being of not just the patient but also their entire family. Cancer incidence rates are growing worldwide, with many thousands of patients dying each year from cancer. According to the WHO, in 2022, there were an estimated 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million deaths. By 2050, the estimated number of new cancer cases is expected to be over 35 million, or an increase of 77% from 2022.
Governments are spending millions on research to find both medical and procedural solutions to prevent and mitigate the impact of cancer. However, there are a myriad of cultural factors that play a crucial part in the growth of cancer. By understanding these cultural paradigms, we can create awareness and aim to educate and teach, help change attitudes or beliefs, and set up individuals to form healthy lifestyle habits.
This paper summarizes the critical overall global trends in cancer with a particular focus on lung cancer in India and attempts to make a connection between the socio-cultural factors that influence tobacco consumption, which in turn directly impacts lung cancer rates.
For more details, read the research presentation below:
Cultural Factors Impacting Breast Cancer Treatments across the World
Impact of Sociocultural Factors on Tobacco Consumption in India
By Leela Sharma, October 2023
Cancer is an epidemic that impacts the physical, emotional, financial, and social well-being of not just the patient but also their entire family. Cancer incidence rates are growing worldwide, with many thousands of patients dying each year from cancer. According to the WHO, in 2022, there were an estimated 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million deaths. By 2050, the estimated number of new cancer cases is expected to be over 35 million, or an increase of 77% from 2022.
Governments are spending millions on research to find both medical and procedural solutions to prevent and mitigate the impact of cancer. However, there are a myriad of cultural factors that play a crucial part in the growth of cancer. By understanding these cultural paradigms, we can create awareness and aim to educate and teach, help change attitudes or beliefs, and set up individuals to form healthy lifestyle habits.
This paper summarizes the critical overall global trends in cancer with a particular focus on lung cancer in India and attempts to make a connection between the socio-cultural factors that influence tobacco consumption, which in turn directly impacts lung cancer rates.
This paper is pending publishing at Curiuex Academic Journal in the summer of 2024. For more details, read the research paper below:
Impact of Sociocultural Factors on Tobacco Consumption In India
Pollution and Religious Practices
By: Leela Sharma, January 2025
Hindu religious practices often pose challenges to the environmental health of India, creating a dilemma where devotion and ecological sustainability are at odds. This issue is particularly urgent in India, the world's most populous country, which faces severe environmental crises, including water pollution, deforestation, and climate change. This paper argues that engaging religious traditions in environmental discourse is crucial rather than viewing them as obstacles, as faith can shape attitudes toward ecological responsibility. By examining the overpopulation of cattle, pollution of water, and air pollution in Hindu practices, the paper illustrates how these elements both contribute to and can mitigate environmental harm. This paper explores the entanglement between Hindu religious traditions and their relationship with environmental well-being. This research was supervised by A. Jackson, Anthropology Dept, University of Chicago and is scheduled for publication in May 2025.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MMreiBS6P2KY6jAmfRActHLihGXMmJ4neP9e3OZ4F4w/edit?usp=sharing