While coffee culture has long since been positively associated with intellectual
and working life, the health and safety of its primary stimulant, caffeine, has recently
fallen under scrutiny by the FDA. This medical anthropology thesis provides a
biocultural synthesis of caffeine culture, health effects, and biological variation in
adverse effects related to pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Supporting evidence
for variation in responses to caffeine was found through surveying 100 participants,
investigating caffeine consumption levels, perceptions and health beliefs, adverse effects
experienced, and medical encounters. Increased rates of adverse effects were found for
students, pharmaceutical and over-the-counter drug users, and for participants reporting
negative or ambivalent perceptions of caffeine, intolerance, or sensitivity to caffeine.
Variation in rates of adverse effects suggests biocultural interactions account not only for
patterns in pharmacological data, but are also clinically significant in constructing risk of
caffeine intoxication. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fau.edu/oai:fau.digital.flvc.org:fau_30808 |
| Contributors | Porter, Carlyn M. (author), Cameron, Mary (Thesis advisor), Florida Atlantic University (Degree grantor), Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology |
| Publisher | Florida Atlantic University |
| Source Sets | Florida Atlantic University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 112 p., application/pdf |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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