Heritage Assessment, Term Paper Example

Part 1: Self-Assessment

A heritage assessment has been undertaken in this assignment. It encompasses an evaluation first of myself in relation to health maintenance; protection and restoration. Following this exercise a similar evaluation of three families was conducted highlighting the same health heritage features. Heritage assessments are conducted for various reasons across disciplines (Higginbottom et.al, 2011). In this evaluation it pertains towards determining how heritage affects health promotion activities and responses within families of different cultures.

When applying a heritage self-assessment tool it was revealed that my ancestry is African America emerging from slavery and subsequently Jim Crow periods of segregation in America. Consequently, many interpretations of health initially were created from ways Africans interpreted being healthy. The sociology of wellness was engraved in traditional dimensions of healing, which are still in existence today.

There are twelve children from my maternal lineage and seven from the paternal. This means there was a blessing combination of fifteen aunts and four uncles. Together they have birth a total of fifty people to become my extended family. There is an average of approximately 2.2 children per family unit. Their spouses have even added another 19 people to the family gathering. Two of my father’s brothers have intermarried and raised bi-racial children

We maintain contract through a yearly family reunion or during birthday celebrations; wedding anniversaries or any death in the family. During these reunions attention is paid towards maintaining the African food tradition and rituals pertaining towards etiquette with regards to respect for elders and obedience to parents.

There have been changes in the family name due to marriages, but the paternal section has retained the name according to the Eurocentric infiltrations into African culture. The religious family tradition has been Christian. However, while Christianity has been maintained as the traditional religious culture there has been a denominational change based on the individual’s interpretations of their spirituality.

The average educational attainment has ranged from high school diplomas towards doctorate degrees. 75% of my family from either side have been to college and subsequently admitted into high profile professions. My role is integrator within my family structure because my friends are of different ethnic backgrounds. As such, many of their congenial family traditions, which fascinates me as positive are presented for application into my family to facilitate integration.

The usefulness of applying this tool to me first provided a framework for how an assessment of my clients’ heritage would be perceived. Importantly, it exposed me to my differences in relation to other people and the social environment. The biracial influences have taught me that people can get along irrespective of their race and cultural differences (Heritage Assessment tool, 2013).

Three families were subsequently interviewed. Family ‘A’ consists of a M.A father; D.A mother and T.A daughter. They migrated to the United States of America eight years ago from India. Father is 36 years old and practiced as a doctor in Delhi and the 32 years mother never worked, but helped in the traditional family jewelry business. Their 12 year old daughter attended public school while in India. The family practices the Hindu religion (Laderman, 2003).

Health maintenance specifically, relates to eating fresh meat, vegetables and fruits; abstaining from foods considered unhealthy such as beef and pork and aligning the ‘self’ with spiritual healing principles that would prevent illness. Therefore, migrating to the United States of America posed a challenge towards maintaining their food culture fully. The cultural heritage engraved in their religious practices is believed to be their major health maintenance strategies. While scientific medicine is acknowledged and practiced it is believed that once one obeys the deities and does their biddings health/wellness/great fortunes will be bestowed upon the individual and their families from the great mothers of the faith. There is a deity responsible for health with whom they can interact on a spiritual level (Laderman, 2003).

Beliefs pertaining to health protection are closely related to health maintenance. In America they have health insurance coverage along their cultural beliefs. It is their conviction that living in a developed country like America health insurance is necessary especially, for children and the elderly (Laderman, 2003).

Health restoration strategies depend on the severity of the health problem. They believe in seeking doctor’s opinion and intervention after consulting with their spiritual deities, which will instruct them on what measures to take for relief of pain and unexplained occurrences in the body such a diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, and swelling among many other medical dysfunctions they deem serious (Laderman, 2003).

Family ‘B’ consists of D.B husband; V.B. and S.B grandson. This family migrated from Africa twenty years ago when they were younger people. D.B is 62 years old; V.B 60 and grandson S.B 20 years old. They believe that health maintenance is visiting the primary health care provider often to access modern medicine remedies to combine with traditional practices. One aspect the couple reiterated about modern medicine is that it saves time and appears to be more accurate in predicting health conditions rather than speculating and committing to a series of trial and error with herbal remedies (Laderman, 2003).

Health protection is perceived from the basis of disease states affecting the person. It is believed that people should be vaccinated, take medications for certain health problems such as diabetes and hypertension as well as eat nourishing food. Health restoration embodies calling 911 in cases of emergency and going to that unit for initial intervention depending on the seriousness of the condition. They embrace rehabilitation services such a therapy and health promotion ventures embodied in restoration programs (Laderman, 2003).

Family “C” migrated from Jamaica twenty two years ago. D.C is 86 years old; C.C is 82 years old and they reside with their daughter V.C who is a 60 year old retired nursing manager from a huge hospital establishment in the city. They believe that health maintenance should be considered from a holistic point of view since humans are social, spiritual and physical beings. Therefore, while people must go to the doctor they must attend church and participate in social activities within their communities (Laderman, 2003).

Health protection for this family means eating good food and prescreening for medical conditions. There is a family history of diabetes. So they guard against diagnosis as well as complications of the disease as their health prevention priority. Health restoration perception for this family embraces hospitalization; surgical interventions; vaccinations, rehabilitations and keeping in alignment with spirit for revelations (Laderman, 2003).

In concluding many similarities and differences among these cultures have been identified. Similarities encompass the belief that health does not only consist in taking medicines. There is a holistic thread that links all three structures predominantly expressed in family ‘A.’ This family is strongly oriented towards seeking the inner aspects of human health for outer manifestations to be demonstrated. Next similarity lies in the openness to scientific medicine and its impact on modern civilization in terms of health protection and restoration.

Marked differences have also been identified. They lay in the extent to which religion plays a part in health maintenance protection and restoration. Family ‘A’ has strong disposition towards spirituality making the final decision. Family ‘B’ believes that there should be some input, but not at the level of ultimately influencing how they respond to modern medicine. Family ‘C’ perceives spiritually as a blend in ultimately making important health decisions, but neither ones taking precedence over the other.

References

Heritage Assessment tool (2013).Retrieved on April 7^th, 2013 from http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/663/679611/box_6_1.pdf

Higginbottom, G. Richter, M. Mogale, R. Ortiz, L. Young, S., & Molle, O. (2011). Identification of nursing assessment models/tools validated in clinical practice for use with diverse ethno-cultural groups: an integrative review of the literature. BMC Nursing, 10(16), 2-11

Laderman, G. (2003), Religion and American Cultures: An Encyclopedia of Traditions, Diversity, and Popular Expressions, Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLO