Heritage Assessment Research Paper
Heritage Assessment
Dwayne Brown RN CPAN
Grand Canyon University
Family Centered Health Promotion
NURS-429v
Renita Holmes
July 13, 2014
Heritage Assessment
Being present in one of the world’s largest medical centers allows for a nurse to experience multiple cultures in the care of patients and communities. The heritage assessment tool can be utilized by nurses to understand differences among cultural values as they relate to health maintenance, health promotion and health restoration. Collecting data in regards to a patient’s culture is an essential part of a cultural nursing assessment (American Nurses Association website, n.d.). The relevance of a cultural assessment can’t be neglected. This paper will speak to the …show more content…
three different cultures of Indians, from eastern Asia, Blacks (American), and Spanish Europeans relative to health and illness.
The Indian family interviewed was born in India, but parents were born in Pakistan but grew up in an urban environment in India.
The participant came to the USA at age 22 without his parents, who remains in India today, although he lived with his parents while growing up in India. Within Indian society, extended family members usually live together as a single-family. With increased urbanization, this type of family unit is slowly advancing to a nuclear family comprised of parents and their children only (Bhungaglia et al., n.d). The subject has maintained contact with his extended family, however he has not visited within the past year. The subject’s religious preference was Hinduism which is consistent with more than 80% of India’s population. The subject does not consider himself as an active member and participates only during religious holidays. He does practice his religion at home by praying, diet and holidays. Nurses must understand the important religious beliefs that impact health and …show more content…
illness.
Aspects of Hinduism that commonly affect health decisions and communications between patient, family, and provider include: Karma is a law of behavior and consequences in which actions in past live(s) affects the circumstances in which one is born and lives in this life. Thus a patient may feel that his or her illness is caused by karma (Bhungaglia et al., n.d, para. 4). Vegetarianism is the diet of choice for practitioners of the Hindu religion. Hindus also believes in reincarnation, the idea that after death, the soul enters back into creation as a living being, which includes all life forms. Hindus pray a specific prayer before eating, in which one asks forgiveness for eating any life form in which there may be a soul. (Bhungaglia et al., n.d, para. 4). A Bindi is a sign worn by many women of the Hindu faith as a red dot on the forehead. The care provider should assess the client’s personal reasons for wearing the Bindi, since it may vary for women depending on age, and assimilation into American culture (Bhungaglia et al., n.d).
The “Indian system of medicine is known as Ayruveda, which means "knowledge of life." Indian medicine mixes religion with secular medicine, and involves observation of the patient as well as the patient’s natural environment” (Bhungaglia et al., n.d).
This type of health delivery is holistic and focuses on the individual and the environment and they cannot be separated from one another. The subject responded during the interview that adaptation to western views is considered, but maintains a strong tradition to his traditional heritage, especially as it relates to herbs and diet in health maintenance. The subject is currently working on a PhD in pharmacy and is cognitively aware of health maintenance and
restoration.
The following is a cultural assessment and interview with a Black American male utilizing the Heritage Assessment Tool (HAT). The subject’s mom and dad were both born in the Deep South, Louisiana and Texas, respectively. The subject’s maternal grandmother was also born in Louisiana, but the grandfather’s place of birth was unknown. Growing up in America, the subject lived with his parents and maintained close contact with his extended family, although they did not live near his home. The subject’s family religious preference is protestant. Prayer, bible readings, diet and celebrating religious holidays is how the subject practices religion at home. The subject also participates in ethnic activities of singing, dancing, customs, and festivals. This subject’s identification with cultural tradition and heritage is very high. Spiritually is defined by African Americans as believing in a higher source (GCU Library, 2006, p. 84) and maintain a relationship for spiritual guidance when illness occurs. The subject also reported that health and illness are connected in a sense of an outside provider. The subject believes that prayer will provide the right healthcare provider and as long as prayer is first, everything will work out in God’s world if it is ‘His Will”. Interestingly enough, the subject does not appreciate a provider who is atheist, agnostic or of a religion outside Christianity.
The HAT was also utilized with someone who identified as Hispanic, but answered the questionnaire as being from Spain. The subject’s parents and grandparents were from Spain and were raised there, however the subject was born and raised in the USA. The subject lived with both parents while growing up and maintains close relationships with siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins. The Catholic religion is primary, although the subject does not attend church and is not active in the religion. However, the subject does practice religion at home by praying and celebrating religious holidays. Spanish is the native language, but only spoken occasionally. Health and illness are fundamentally rooted in spiritualism and faith. Nurses must respect that the earth and native roots play a significant role in health and healing (GCU Library, 2003, p. 216). Cultural and heritage assessment is key to provide culturally competent education and care as it relates to health restoration maintenance and protection. References
American Nurses Association website. (n.d.). Health of the public. Retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20071027171411/http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/HealthcareandPolicyIssues/HoP.aspx
Bhungaglia, S., Kelly, T., Van De Keith, S., & Young, M. (n.d). Indians. Retrieved from https://bearspace.baylor.edu/Charles_Kemp/www/indian_health.htm
GCU Library. (2003). Cultural awareness: Bridging the gap between caregivers and Hispanic patients. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=139401ab-17d7-4e8a-8d72-33fa88dd6e7d%40sessionmgr4002&vid=8&hid=4211
GCU Library. (2006). The influence of spirituality on health-care seeking behaviors among african americans. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=3c91abf2-a1c1-48dc-bb4e-8d852d6a059c%40sessionmgr115&vid=7&hid=105
Dwayne Brown RN CPAN
Grand Canyon University
Family Centered Health Promotion
NURS-429v
Renita Holmes
July 13, 2014
Heritage Assessment
Being present in one of the world’s largest medical centers allows for a nurse to experience multiple cultures in the care of patients and communities. The heritage assessment tool can be utilized by nurses to understand differences among cultural values as they relate to health maintenance, health promotion and health restoration. Collecting data in regards to a patient’s culture is an essential part of a cultural nursing assessment (American Nurses Association website, n.d.). The relevance of a cultural assessment can’t be neglected. This paper will speak to the …show more content…
three different cultures of Indians, from eastern Asia, Blacks (American), and Spanish Europeans relative to health and illness.
The Indian family interviewed was born in India, but parents were born in Pakistan but grew up in an urban environment in India.
The participant came to the USA at age 22 without his parents, who remains in India today, although he lived with his parents while growing up in India. Within Indian society, extended family members usually live together as a single-family. With increased urbanization, this type of family unit is slowly advancing to a nuclear family comprised of parents and their children only (Bhungaglia et al., n.d). The subject has maintained contact with his extended family, however he has not visited within the past year. The subject’s religious preference was Hinduism which is consistent with more than 80% of India’s population. The subject does not consider himself as an active member and participates only during religious holidays. He does practice his religion at home by praying, diet and holidays. Nurses must understand the important religious beliefs that impact health and …show more content…
illness.
Aspects of Hinduism that commonly affect health decisions and communications between patient, family, and provider include: Karma is a law of behavior and consequences in which actions in past live(s) affects the circumstances in which one is born and lives in this life. Thus a patient may feel that his or her illness is caused by karma (Bhungaglia et al., n.d, para. 4). Vegetarianism is the diet of choice for practitioners of the Hindu religion. Hindus also believes in reincarnation, the idea that after death, the soul enters back into creation as a living being, which includes all life forms. Hindus pray a specific prayer before eating, in which one asks forgiveness for eating any life form in which there may be a soul. (Bhungaglia et al., n.d, para. 4). A Bindi is a sign worn by many women of the Hindu faith as a red dot on the forehead. The care provider should assess the client’s personal reasons for wearing the Bindi, since it may vary for women depending on age, and assimilation into American culture (Bhungaglia et al., n.d).
The “Indian system of medicine is known as Ayruveda, which means "knowledge of life." Indian medicine mixes religion with secular medicine, and involves observation of the patient as well as the patient’s natural environment” (Bhungaglia et al., n.d).
This type of health delivery is holistic and focuses on the individual and the environment and they cannot be separated from one another. The subject responded during the interview that adaptation to western views is considered, but maintains a strong tradition to his traditional heritage, especially as it relates to herbs and diet in health maintenance. The subject is currently working on a PhD in pharmacy and is cognitively aware of health maintenance and
restoration.
The following is a cultural assessment and interview with a Black American male utilizing the Heritage Assessment Tool (HAT). The subject’s mom and dad were both born in the Deep South, Louisiana and Texas, respectively. The subject’s maternal grandmother was also born in Louisiana, but the grandfather’s place of birth was unknown. Growing up in America, the subject lived with his parents and maintained close contact with his extended family, although they did not live near his home. The subject’s family religious preference is protestant. Prayer, bible readings, diet and celebrating religious holidays is how the subject practices religion at home. The subject also participates in ethnic activities of singing, dancing, customs, and festivals. This subject’s identification with cultural tradition and heritage is very high. Spiritually is defined by African Americans as believing in a higher source (GCU Library, 2006, p. 84) and maintain a relationship for spiritual guidance when illness occurs. The subject also reported that health and illness are connected in a sense of an outside provider. The subject believes that prayer will provide the right healthcare provider and as long as prayer is first, everything will work out in God’s world if it is ‘His Will”. Interestingly enough, the subject does not appreciate a provider who is atheist, agnostic or of a religion outside Christianity.
The HAT was also utilized with someone who identified as Hispanic, but answered the questionnaire as being from Spain. The subject’s parents and grandparents were from Spain and were raised there, however the subject was born and raised in the USA. The subject lived with both parents while growing up and maintains close relationships with siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins. The Catholic religion is primary, although the subject does not attend church and is not active in the religion. However, the subject does practice religion at home by praying and celebrating religious holidays. Spanish is the native language, but only spoken occasionally. Health and illness are fundamentally rooted in spiritualism and faith. Nurses must respect that the earth and native roots play a significant role in health and healing (GCU Library, 2003, p. 216). Cultural and heritage assessment is key to provide culturally competent education and care as it relates to health restoration maintenance and protection. References
American Nurses Association website. (n.d.). Health of the public. Retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20071027171411/http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/HealthcareandPolicyIssues/HoP.aspx
Bhungaglia, S., Kelly, T., Van De Keith, S., & Young, M. (n.d). Indians. Retrieved from https://bearspace.baylor.edu/Charles_Kemp/www/indian_health.htm
GCU Library. (2003). Cultural awareness: Bridging the gap between caregivers and Hispanic patients. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=139401ab-17d7-4e8a-8d72-33fa88dd6e7d%40sessionmgr4002&vid=8&hid=4211
GCU Library. (2006). The influence of spirituality on health-care seeking behaviors among african americans. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=3c91abf2-a1c1-48dc-bb4e-8d852d6a059c%40sessionmgr115&vid=7&hid=105