Assessment Investigation: Death, Dying, and Afterlife
Evidence: Cultural Experiences, Smallpox, Coping with Loss
During Health this term, we have been working on our unit Death, Dying, and Afterlife. In this unit, we have been looking at several cultural beliefs and traditions regarding death.
We started this unit off with a movie that largely relates to our topic for this unit, this movie was “Coco”. In this movie, we follow a boy named Miguel in the Mexican town of Santa Cecilia, where he lives under the influence of his music-hating family. Due to circumstances, he is accidentally transported to the Land of the Dead and learns of the true mystery regarding his great-great grandfather’s legacy of being a musician. I enjoyed this movie and learned a lot about the Mexican culture of death and the afterlife. The basic premise of the movie revolves around the Day of the Dead, an annual celebration in which families gather to honour and remember their deceased loved ones. It is believed that on this holiday, the souls of the deceased family members will return to visit their living families’ homes, businesses, and the cemetery. It may sound like a sorrowful holiday, but it is the opposite of that.
We did a couple of other activities related to coco and explored a view of other topics. These topics included cultural differences and their similarities, talking about our own cultures and traditions, a historical topic related to the unit of our choosing (mine was smallpox), coping with loss and how we can get through this time, the five stages of grief, the process of dying, different types of burials, and more. This was an exciting unit, for our very last activity we had to do an investigation on a subject we haven’t learned in this unit, my investigation is listed below.
What is your chosen topic for investigation?
My chosen topic for the investigation is a killer disease called rabies. Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease that affects the central nervous system of mammals, including us humans. The rabies virus comes from the Rhabdoviridae family, a family of negative-strand RNA viruses. Rabies is primarily transmitted through direct contact (such as broken skin or mucous membrane) with saliva or brain/nervous system tissue from an infected animal. Once the rabies virus infects your body, it slowly moves along your nerves and into the central nervous system, which leads to alarming neurological symptoms, and eventually death if it is left untreated.
The History Behind Rabies
Resource: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabies
The history of rabies stretches back thousands of years, and records of the disease can be seen in various ancient civilizations. The term “rabies”, actually derives from the Latin word “rabere,” meaning “to rage,” which reflects on the aggressive behaviour that is expressed by infected animals. History depicts that rabies was actually linked to supernatural beliefs and superstitions, which heightened its aura of fear. There are ancient texts that come from civilizations like Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece that describe the symptoms of rabies. Despite its long existence, it was only during the late 19th century when Louis Pasteur’s groundbreaking work created the first successful rabies vaccine, making a large contribution to the overall medical progress of the world. So this exhibits humanity’s long-standing efforts to be able to fight this deadly disease.
Clinical presentation of rabies
Resource: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK8618/#:~:text=Rabies%20virus%20causes%20acute%20infection,is%20usually%201%E2%80%933%20months.
The second interesting I researched about was the clinical presentation of rabies. There are five stages of rabies; incubation, prodromal, furious, paralyptic, and lastly terminal. In these paragraphs, I have written on what individuals may begin to experience once they are infected with the rabies virus.
- Incubation Period
The length of the incubation period for rabies varies in length (from days to years) and depends on several factors, an example of that is the site of exposure to the virus and the distance it is from the brain. In this phase, there are usually no noticeable signs of the virus. At the sight of infection, the virus will replicate before gradually spreading along the peripheral nerves and towards the central nervous system.
2. Prodromal Stage
Subsequent to the incubation period, the prodromal stage materializes and typically lasts for 2 to 10 days. A few nonspecific symptoms such as fever, headache, malaise, and discomfort at the site of infection might begin to rise. Changes in mood such as irritability and anxiety will pop up and set the foundation for more pronounced neurological symptoms.
3. Furious Stage
The furious stage is known for being the stage in which individuals will begin to experience pronounced neurological and behavioural symptoms. A few to name are heightened activity, agitation, hallucinations, and an exaggerated startle reflex. There are also classical symptoms like hydrophobia (fear of water) and aerophobia (fear of air currents) because of swallowing difficulties and spasms caused by air movement which will manifest during this phase. Additionally, aggressive tendencies such as biting and self-inflicted injuries may happen. This stage is characterised by the known behavioural shifts and irregular behavioural patterns that are displayed by the affected individual.
4. Paralyptic Stage
As rabies progresses even further, individuals will enter the paralytic stage. This stage is known as the stage in which progressive muscle weakness, paralysis, and a decrease in agitation and hyperactivity are visible. Since your muscles are essential for speech and swallowing, individuals will go through dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and dysarthria (slurred speech). The paralysis eventually leads to the limbs and respiratory muscles, which then results in respiratory failure. Patients will become immobilised and enter a state of reduced consciousness and coma as the paralysis continues to spread.
5. Terminal Phase
This is the last stage of rabies, the terminal phase occurs whilst the paralysis spreads to your muscles that control breathing and heart function, which unfortunately leads to respiratory and cardiac arrest. Death generally occurs within one week and up to ten days after the clinical symptoms are seen. Even though this disease is incredibly severe, patients will continue to remain conscious and aware of their environment until they are close to death.
How did you demonstrate respect towards others’ cultural beliefs that are different to yours?
(FOR EXCELLENCE): Explain how showing respect would enhance others’ hauora.
There were several ways that I demonstrated respect towards other cultural beliefs during this unit. I know that it’s crucial to show respect to any culture regardless if it’s not my own because awareness means you better understand the values and beliefs of lots of different cultures. By better understanding them, we create a better world filled with diversity and acceptance.
I did this by doing a couple of things, The first thing I did was to understand and begin to share awareness that no culture is more important than the other. I spent time reflecting on my beliefs and biases to ensure that I could appreciate cultural differences without any prejudice holding me back.
The second thing I did was to educate and engage myself about the cultures we’ve discussed, I did this to make sure that I was showing the utmost respect towards any culture. Whilst some things may be acceptable in one culture, they sometimes could be disrespectful in another culture, so I learned to always educate myself about any of these things. I educated myself by reading about other cultures and using media, asking questions from people within that culture in my community, and to try and immerse myself in those cultures.
Lastly, is that I always kept an open mind when I was learning about the different cultural beliefs. It is important to keep an open mind to ensure you appreciate diversity, avoid stereotypes, build relationships, be culturally sensitive, and reduce conflict. Such openness not only enhances a person’s understanding of the world but also nurtures respect, empathy, and collaboration in our interconnected society.
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How can respecting someone’s culture enhance their Hauora?
Showing respect for someone’s culture can highly enhance a person’s Hauora, it can affect all four walls of their Whare Tapa Wha; Taha Tinana (physical well-being), Taha Wairua (spiritual well-being), Taha Hinengaro (mental & emotional well-being), and Taha Whanau (social well-being).
Taha Tinana (physical well-being)
By respecting someone’s culture, you enhance their physical well-being by promoting better mental health, reducing stress, improving their diet, influencing them for better health behaviours, and p
Taha Wairua (spiritual well-being)
Respecting a person’s culture has a significant impact on their spiritual well-being. It validates and acknowledges their beliefs, values, and rituals, which allows them to foster a sense of connection to their cultural heritage and practices. By allowing this recognition, it can provide a profound sense of meaning and purpose, which strengthens their spiritual identity and connection to their cultural community.
Taha Whanau (social well-being)
When you respect a person’s culture, it can significantly affect their social well-being by encouraging a sense of belonging, acceptance, and inclusivity. When individuals feel like their culture is being respected, they are likely to engage and contribute more to their community, which builds better and stronger bonds. This increases social support networks, lowers the chances of isolation, and improves their mental health. Not only this, cultural respect promotes diversity and intercultural understanding, which then creates a harmonious environment filled with cooperation and respect.
Taha Hinengaro (mental & emotional well-being)
Why is it important that you take care of all areas of hauora when we experience change, loss, or grief?
I must take care of all areas of my hauora when I experience change, loss, or grief because it can negatively affect my Te Whare Tapa Wha, my four walls of well-being. Change, loss, and grief can negatively impact my well-being in several ways.
Taha Whanau/Social Well-being
When people experience change, loss, or grief, they can go through withdrawal, and isolation, and be prone to having conflict with others. People do this for a multitude of reasons such as to stop themself from breaking down in public, or they realise that they don’t enjoy the same activities as they liked before, or even out of the fear that they may be judged.
Taha Tinana/Physical Well-being
People who go through change, loss, or grief, have had their physical well-being likely impacted. Grief can cause stress and anxiety, which then leads to physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and trouble sleeping. Also, there is there is the chance that you may experience a loss of appetite and or overeating which causes weight fluctuations.
Taha Hinengaro/Mental & Emotional Well-being
Grief can have a significant impact on a person’s mental and emotional well-being. It may cause feelings of sadness, anger, guilt, and anxiety. It can also lead to physical symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, and difficulty sleeping. The grieving process can be complex and different for each individual, but seeking support from loved ones or a mental health professional can help in coping with these emotions.
Taha Wairua/Spiritual Well-being
Grief can impact a person’s spiritual well-being by raising questions about the meaning of life and death. Some individuals turn to their faith or spirituality for comfort during this time, while others may struggle with feelings of doubt or anger towards a higher power. It is important for individuals to explore their own beliefs and values and seek support from their spiritual community or religious leaders if they feel it would be helpful in their healing
I can take care of my hauora when I experience change, loss, or grief by doing a couple of things. Grieving is a personal and unique experience that can affect a person’s spiritual, social, mental/emotional, and physical well-being. It is normal to feel a range of emotions such as sadness, anger, guilt, and anxiety during this difficult time. Taking care of oneself by eating well, getting enough rest, and seeking support from loved ones, friends, or professionals such as a therapist or grief counsellor can help in the healing process. Talking about their feelings and memories of their loved ones can also be helpful in processing grief. Overall, it is important to acknowledge and accept the emotions that come with grieving and seek support to cope with the loss.
Strategies
Taha Wairua/Spiritual Well-being:
Taha Whanau/Social Well-being:
Taha Tinana/Physical Well-being:
Taha Hinengaro/Mental & Emotional Well-being:
