30 Jan The term Jewish refers to

N512 Diverse Populations and Health Care

Module 5 Assignment

People of Amish, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Jewish Heritage

Welcome to Module 5! In this module we will discuss the unique cultural characteristics of people of Amish, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Jewish heritage. The focus will be on the ethnocultural attributes that fall within the twelve domains of culture identified in the Purnell Model for Cultural Competence.

Time Requirements:

The amount of time required to complete assignments in this module is approximately 17 to 20 hours.

Objectives:

After completing this module, students should be able to:

Examine the family roles and organization of people from these cultures.

Contrast the workforce issues of these cultural groups.

Assess the bio-cultural ecology associated with the peoples of these three cultures.

Explore high-risk behaviors that are characteristic of individuals from these cultures.

Assess the implications of nutritional habits of these cultural groups.

Analyze the unique attitudes towards and practices of these people with respect to childbearing.

Analyze the death rituals and religious beliefs that characterize people from these cultures.

Integrate unique health care practices of these cultural groups into nursing care.

Readings:

Purnell, L., & Paulanka, B. (2012). Transcultural health care: A culturally competent approach (4th ed.). Philadelphia: F. A. Davis. (Chapters 7, 19, and 25*).

Chapter 7: The Amish

Chapter 19: People of Jewish Heritage

Chapter 25*: American Indians and Alaska Natives

Summary:

In this Module we examined the ethnocultural attributes of Amish, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Jewish people. Today’s Amish live in rural areas in a band of over 20 states, and constitute an ethnoreligious cultural group within the U.S. Strong gender roles persist, and men are considered the head of the household—a titular patriarchy derived from the Bible. However, the woman’s role of support and mother to future generations is cherished and valued. The Amish are essentially a closed population with little domiciliary mobility, and thus researchers have been able to accurately document prevalent disease and health conditions that affect this population. The Amish are traditionally agrarian and prefer a lifestyle that provides intergenerational and community support systems to promote health and mitigate against the prevalence of high-risk behaviors. Although the Amish are relatively healthy and have active lifestyles due to the agrarian lifestyle, farm and traffic accidents are an increasing health concern. They take responsibility for promoting health; the body is a temple of God, and human beings are the stewards of their bodies. God heals. Barriers to health care include financial reasons (lack of health insurance) transportation, and prevailing perception that health care professionals are not interested in or may disapprove of home remedies and other treatment modalities.

American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) are the original inhabitants of North America. There are over 500 different AI/AN tribes. Severe economic conditions and high unemployment have resulted in significant migration out of American Indian reservations and Alaska Native villages. Often, this resulted in significant culture shock. Communication is primarily verbal, as the written language often was not established until the late 20th century. This may have an impact on health literacy for older AI/ANs. Younger generations typically speak and read English and their native tongue. Grandmothers and mothers are the center of AI/AN society. When family care is to be provided, no decision is made until the appropriate older woman is present. Health conditions wit high frequency are upper respiratory illnesses, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, alcoholism, and suicide. People of AI/AN heritage view pain as something to be endured, and thus will not ask for analgesics. Cultural perceptions of the sick role are based on the ideal of maintaining harmony with nature and with others. Ill people have obviously done something to place themselves out of harmony or have had a curse placed on them. Native healers practice preventive measures, treatment regimens, and health maintenance. Traditional health care beliefs are usually blended with variable acceptance of Western medicine.

The term Jewish refers to both a people and a religion – it is not a race. Throughout history, the terms Hebrew, Israelite, and Jew have been used interchangeably. English is the primary language of Jewish-Americans, although Hebrew is the official language of Israel and it is used for prayers. Communication practices are more related to their American upbringing than to their religious practices. Specific workforce issues may occur when staffs are Jewish, especially when they are observant of the Sabbath. Jews who observe the Sabbath must have Friday evening and Saturday off. They may work on Sunday. Supervisors must be sensitive to the needs of Jewish staff and recognize the holiness of the Sabbath. There is a greater incidence of some genetic disorders among individuals of Jewish descent, especially those who are Ashkenazi. Gaucher’s disease is the most common genetic disease affecting Ashkenazi Jews. Because of the respect afforded physicians and the emphasis on keeping the body and mind healthy, Jewish-Americans are health conscious. In general, they practice preventive health care and are a well-immunized population. The preservation of life is one of Judaism’s greatest priorities. Even the laws that govern the Sabbath may be broken if one can help save a life. Each individual is considered special, and the individuality of the human experience is one of the precepts of the faith. Good health is considered as asset. In this regard, individuals who are ill must not fast during Yom Kippur.

Complete the following:

Amish case study

Jewish Case study #1