BLOG ASSIGNMENTS
Blog assignments provide an opportunity to outline action items and offer meaningful reflection abroad. These activities provide direction and focus through goal-setting, action planning, and productivity principles.
In order to understand the impact of culture on health, one must possess cultural awareness. Cultural awareness, also known as cultural sensitivity, is the knowledge, awareness, and acceptance of other cultures and others’ cultural identities. Understanding differences between oneself and individuals from other backgrounds is critical to achieving cultural competency and health for all.
Health is not limited to meeting the physical needs of specific health conditions. Achieving proper health expands beyond physical limitations and considers the various factors composing a patient’s identity. Cultural competency is an essential concept for providers to possess in order to fully understand and properly address the needs of their patients.
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Heritage is the traditions and values of one's culture that are carried throughout time. Heritage has a close link with history and holds value to historical items, stories, or practices over time. Family traditions or religious practices can hold influence over one's heritage.
Location is closely linked with heritage. Across the world, societal norms encourage/discourage values of heritage. Historical meanings behind geographical locations contribute to various practices and meanings of heritage. For example, Italian holds a centralized focus on overall health and wellbeing. On the contrary U.S. heritage focuses more on individual gain and materialistic possessions.
Importance of Cultural Competency
Location & Heritage
Diversity is an essential component of health. The way individuals or groups interprets the concept of health is diverse across geographical locations. Diversity has greatly contributed to a greater understanding of population health. Over time, more research studies have become inclusive to participants of various racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Diversity, and how it relates to health, is not limited to physical features. LGBTQ+ representation has assisted in the development of improved healthcare materials and health delivery. Having representation within healthcare is essential because it helps reduce bias and improve patient comfortability.
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Healing practices in Italy differ drastically from those within America. Italian culture functions at a much slower pace than American culture. These differences in pace functions are highlighted in the healing practices Italians participate in compared to Americans. America has one of the highest standards of living in the world.
When Americans search for healing methods, they often do so in search of immediate relief. Italians, on the other hand, approach health in a must slower direction. For example, Italians walk much more than Americans. This cultural difference quite literally highlights pace variance between Italian and American concepts of physical activity.
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Healing Practics
Diversity & Health
In my own words, I would describe health as an overall state of well-being. This includes physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional elements. Health involves maintaining certain behaviors to promote a more comfortable environment and state of being
Illness, on the other hand, is a state of discomfort. Discomfort may result from physical limitations, mental strains, or bodily imbalances. Illness may result from immediate causes or gradually worsen over time. The interpretations of health and illness can vary across individuals, communities, and locations.
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Health in Italy is interpreted much differently than how it is in America. Italians focus on an overall state of well-being, whereas Americans focus on specific factors. For example, Italians maintain a healthier daily lifestyle than Americans. Italy's workdays are shorter, roads are walkable, and produce is more readily available. Despite these factors contributing to an overall healthier state of well-being, Italians use tobacco at a much higher rate than Americans. On the contrary, Americans maintain a much less healthy daily lifestyle, but have narrowed in focus on anti-smoking behaviors.
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