Heritage Assessment Essay

HERITAGE ASSESSMENT ESSAY Name: Grade Course: Tutor’s Name: (31, August, 2010) Heritage Assessment Essay Introduction This essay outlays the essence which is fostered by the American community their cultural beliefs and tradition based on medicinal value. Heritage assessment then will be considered to be the analysis of culture which is acquired by a person through birth or birth rights and has been passed on from generation to generation and thus form s tradition. The term culture is defined as all social standing harbored by an individual, this include personal believes, ritual and traditions and practices. This usually encompasses all beliefs that have been passed on from predecessors as well as their own beliefs which have been adapted. Spector (2004) further articulate that culture then is also the health traditions which are fostered by individual cultural heritage. This encompasses the different beliefs concerning health tradition fostered by the diverse communities in the United State. This thus elucidate the notion that heritage is diverse as each community possesses unique composition of cultural dynamics which defines health diversely (Cross, Et al. 1989) Hispanic cultural health tradition Majority of the Hispanic speaking individuals are catholic and thus they belief health is a gift of from God. According to WHO (2002) health intervention is welcomed and combated with prayers, relic’s ornaments and wearing of religious medals. Traditional medication and advice are offered by elders whom are deemed as wise. This explains the reason why Hispanics are emotionally expressive. Thus they pamper their sick and light candle when praying around pictures of saints and shrines. Contraceptive and other preventive health measures are highly abhorred. Hispanics believe in modern medicine although they have their own traditional herbs which they first apply and when all does not go well then they resume to modern medicine. Some of the major psychological and social discomforts are directly outlaid to curandero this is a traditional Hispanic holistic healer as echoed by Molina and Zambrana (2001). Espiritismo and Santería are also two other form of health systems which the Hispanics associate with medicine, however, this form mostly concur with witchcraft and magic for the source of healing. They believe that magic can be used to cure as well as harm just like witchcraft (Galanti, 1991; Talamantes, 2000). Islamic cultural health tradition The basic of the Islamic religious people who are among the staunchest followers of tradition which are construed from the Qur'an and sunnah. This illustration details the procedures which encompasses teaching from this medium on how the society should adhere to certain dietary habit to mitigate illness. These medium usually advocates for creation of healthy atmosphere which fosters positive effects on the physical, mental and spiritual realm of the individual development. The teaching from this medium abhors substances that cause illness and distress to the body as exemplified by Al-Qaradawi (1990). The contemporary means which the Islamic beliefs rely as some do not conform to modern medicine. They specialize on supplication and traditional medical treatment which is...