People of Japanese Heritage and Jewish Heritage

Introduction

The Japanese people cultural heritage has evolved and maintained over the years. The Jewish people culture has preserved their cultural heritage, and also it has developed due to their immigration all over the world. Their cultural practices have influenced the provision of evidence-based health care thus affecting health care among their population.

Over half million Japanese reside in North America, mostly living in commercial and educational centers. Education is highly valued with illiteracy level being zero. According to Yasuhiko, in 1853 the literacy level of the whole Japanese population was 50% by far the highest in the world (2018). Their community is divided by immigrants Issei being the first Japanese immigrants, Nisei the second Japanese immigrants, and Nisei the last generation of immigrants. They are all conversant with English since some were educated under American education system though Japanese is their indigenous language.

For strong cohesion among groups, gentle joking is allowed, they have formal discussions unrelated to business and saying no is extremely impolite. Humiliation is an offence, but those who bear shame in silence are respected. Body language such as smiling and laughter are used to hide embarrassment. Prolonged eye contact among friends and families and intimate behavior in the presence of others is a taboo. Homosexuality is evident in their society but rarely discussed. Their family structure is nuclear, and their family names are stated first followed by their given name.

Jewish is not a race, but it is a religion, people, and culture. Their belief is practiced in the ranges of strict Orthodox and liberal Reform. In the mid-1800 the Jews immigrated from Europe to America, North Africa, and Spain due to fear of religious prosecution. Jews emphasize on education and social justice through social action. Jewish Americans speak in English though they use Hebrew while praying, the early immigrants speak Yiddish.

Their conversations incorporate humor more than jokes; they are considered insensitive. Their name format follows the Western tradition; their given name first followed by their surname. When a boy reaches 12 years and a girl 13 years old they are deemed capable of differentiating right or wrong. The Orthodox prohibits homosexuality as they interpret it in the Bible.

Health care is the taking caution and prevention of anything likely to harm one’s health. Evidence-based health care is the use of population data to figure out the best treatment for illness and listening to patients’ values (2018). In Japanese they health care is more controlled by their physicians; Japanese observe little to no self-care, and they often follow what their practitioners tell them without questioning it which undermines the use of evidence-based health care.

Emotional problems cannot be discussed freely in Japanese culture which can often lead to mental illness which is a taboo. Such a situation affects the delivery of evidence-based health care since one is required to share out their problem so that the issue can be resolved. Besides, bearing pain is considered to bring honor to the family thus most people do not reach out to their physicians while in pain.

It is unfortunate in the Jewish heritage mainly the Orthodox prefers that care to be given by a practitioner who is the same gender as the patient. These are quite limiting to evidence-based health care since if there is no a practitioner to provide health care for your illness, one will not get treatment. Also, physicians are prohibited from initiating measures that prolong the act of dying which may contradict the will of the patient thus influencing the delivery of evidence-based health care.