Based on international research, this collection incorporates a critical analysis of World Health Organization cross-cultural findings. Contributors share an interest in subjective and interpretive aspects of illness, while maintaining the concept of schizophrenia that addresses its biological aspects. The volume is of interest to scholars in the social and human sciences, and of practical relevance not only to psychiatrists, but all mental health professionals encountering the clinical problems bridging culture and psychosis.

Traditionally, the effectiveness of medical treatments is attributed to specific elements, such as drugs or surgical procedures. However, many other factors can significantly effect the outcome. Drugs with nationally advertised names can work better than the same drug without the name. Inert drugs (placebos, dummies) often have dramatic effects on some patients and effects can vary greatly among different European countries where the "same" medical condition is understood differently. Daniel Moerman traverses a complex subject area in this detailed examination of medical variables. Since...