Pula and Health Communication

The ancient ruins of the Coliseum in Rome are among the most recognizable landmarks on earth, but did you know that Croatia is home to an ancient amphitheater of its own? Our journey today took us into the city of Pula which is home to the 6th largest and 2nd best preserved Roman style amphitheater. Pula and the entire region of Istria have some very noticeable differences from the rest of Croatia, especially the regions we have seen around Zagreb. This is because Istria is heavily influenced by Italy and has at various times been under Italian rule and the rule of others as well. While this makes for cultural and architectural differences such as Italian influenced cuisine, does this impact public health in any way? Following our lecture at the University of Pula with David Mandic, I would have to say that it does. Professor Mandic spoke about the unique aspects of language in Istria, a region where several different dialects are spoken. While there are some similarities among the different dialects, there are also great differences which can make communication among the various people of Istria difficult at times. This can impact public health by making health communication a very challenging task. Can you imagine being in charge of a public health campaign and having to reach people of multiple dialects within a single city? This seems like a big challenge and one that could leave those in the minority dialects with lack of access to important health information. This unique language situation of Istria could also cause problems for individuals trying to communicate with their health care providers, who may not speak or understand the given dialect. While I am not sure how much of a problem this is for public health workers in Istria, it seems like something that would certainly need consideration before undertaking any type of public health endeavors.

-Ben