Heritage is a genetic gene of culture. Every community has their own culture and it vary in individual to individual (ANA2011).
By heritage a culture pass onto generations to generations its beliefs, customs, practices, values and traditions . It has an important role on the community for development of the future of society (Culture in development). Heritage assessment is a soul of nursing ,through which provide an effective and whole person care . Modern multicultural society challenges health care system with cultural diversity.
Heritage assessment is a vibrant part of nursing because of its priority in health promotion. Culture and heritage is unique, through which our patients has another world that surround them that is unknown to health care personal. This cultural practice gives guidance and direction to an individual to connect the outside world (ANA 2011. ). In 21st century healthcare is not only curing but also preventive.
So cotemporary nursing promote health of the society, by proper heritage assessment. Heritage assessment tool is a window that opens him as a whole person itself.This assessment gives a concept to deal with a person’s personal, mental and spiritual health. Heritage assessment is a significant tool helpful to understand and evaluate a person and the society.
When assess a person’s Heritage it reflects a tradition of how they maintain and promote health , how they restore health when it get affected with illness. This essay describes heritage assessment of three different cultural families. Greek culture and Italian culture and their health tradition, look at the differences as well as compare those with that of the Author , American Indian (Hindu) heritage.Health maintains Health maintains include what helps to prevent illness by their daily life which may contain healthy eating habits, hobbies and exercises. In both Greek and Italian culture they give importance in family union and eating together which relax them and belief that it is necessary for them to maintain their families closer and in good health(Spector 2011). Indian American culture has the same importance of family bounding and get together (Heritage of India n.
d) In these three cultures they spent together with their family for daily lunch and dinner.This is very important for them to relax and socialize because for them loving and eating together make a healthy family. Grandparents are mostly babysitters, according to their belief it is important phase of family bounding from generation to generations. While we compare these three cultures usually large variety of food prepared at home for family get together and women are the hostess.Whole grain Italian pasta and Indian vegetarian meals are very healthy eating pattern for health maintains (Spector 2011). Indian people usually take herb medicine (heritage of India.
n. d) to maintain health but other prefers vitamin tablets. Soccer, biking, beach recreations are common among Italian culture. Greek and Indian culture relaxations and recreations are more connected with festal celebration.
Health Restoration Both Greek and Italian people have strong Christian back ground. Greek community go to church mainly for festival, celebrations and funeral but Italians go to church weekly for services(spector 2009). Indian Hindu people also go their temple ( a place to worship God) for special occasions like birthday ,wedding and festival.All these communities are very strong in their faith, belief and tradition and are related to religious festival. They belief divine protection is part of restoration of health.
Greece has history of healthy lifestyle since from beginning they look into the cause than the symptoms. Health restoration is built upon a religious belief in all these three cultures. Hindu and Italian community has some religious practices to please their God when they get sick(spector2009 ).Italian people pray to saints and God for curing as part of their belief(School history.org),but same way Hindu people have some ‘pooja’ a type of prayer for healing. On interview they agreed all have same concept in illness that they needed family support and presence around them, even at death bed.
Unless Italian and Greek citizens they have national health service that offer free health care(citizenship and immigration canada,n. d. ) Hindu people don’t have that health care coverage ,which include self-pay. Indian Hindu culture, people are more recommended alternative medicine than allopathic western medicine.
Mostly they appreciate Ayurveda medicine which has very less chance of side effect on the body . Some Hindu people interested in allopathic medicine it is faster for curing. When compare with other Italian and Greek cultures they prefer western treatment for diseases and but some small percent of Greek population still believe traditional medicine. Health Promotion Heritage tool and cultural back ground gives an important idea to health promotion. Hobbies and social life , special cultural food pattern are also need to consider to improve the health status of the community.
Olive and feta cheese common in Greek food are high source of sodium and fat ,need to be moved to side on family gathering which ‘keeps family together’ according to their culture. American heart association (AHA) recommend Italian pasta which is low in fat and whole grain is a good support for healthy heart. Cream sauces and cheese use in Italian food is another additional source of calorie and fat. Marinara sauce replace the traditional sauces and meat by vegetables and fish are some of the AHA recommend Italian food for to promote healthy heart and reduce Obesity(spector2009).
Indian food is rich with vegetables but excessive consumption of milk products and ghee, butter and sugary sweets need to be modified for health promotion. High fat diet, alcohol intake with festival celebration, lack of physical activity and high calorie desert are some of the leading cause for potential health problems like obesity, heart disease and diabetes (healthy people2020) in Greek culture. Education has an important role in health promotion and prevention. Greek culture and Indian culture give too much importance in education and higher studies but Italian culture more into social relation and jobs interested than studies.Hindu culture strictly keep up tradition from generations to generations by arrange same cast marriage from same community.
Greek people are also more conservative and parent negotiated marriages are prevail, with less divorce compared in Eastern Europe. Since family is a fabric of their health maintain and illness management it is easy for them to continue traditional healthy habits. But in Italian culture they are allowed to find their own partners even with other cultural group. It make them hard to follow and sometimes not easy to keep up their own health practices for health promotion and management.
Women need more education about the dietary modification because ,they are the one enjoy to prepare the food among these three cultures. Women will be offended when people move away from food which they think will hold their families together. Keep a side extra sauce and creamy cheese, make a small serving of high calorie rich desert items and encourage the usage of low fat diet, make some out door games for family gathering are healthy habits which improve health based on cultural back ground.
