Culture and Health – Blacks and Hispanics
Health is generally defined as the state of complete physical, social, and mental well-being and not just the absence of disease or illness. The global burden of diabetes is high and has been on the rise for some time. The cases of type 2 diabetes are especially becoming a problem. Cultures have systems of health beliefs that help to understand the illness, i.e., the etiology, treatment, and who is involved in the treatment. The nurse should be aware of the beliefs and remain respectful even when treating such patients. It has been documented that racial minorities in the US, i.e., blacks and Hispanics, have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Diabetes has a ‘racial profile.’ This has been reinforced by the American government through the collection of data pertaining to race and ethnicity. Cultural beliefs and customs play a role in how people view disease in general. They view illness, not just diabetes, as god’s will and divine punishment for sinful behavior. The church is an important support system, and family members are usually consulted before decisions are made. This can influence their health-seeking behavior. They may prefer to use home remedies or seek consultation from traditional healers (Johnson & Farquharson, 2019).
Blacks and Hispanics are among the populations affected most by poverty in the United States. This affects their ability to seek medical attention promptly and adjust to the appropriate lifestyle needed to help prevent this disease. Also, because of racial discrimination in the health care system, some of these patients find it hard to get the necessary medical attention even if they manage to seek medical attention in time. Some patients are usually denied opportunities based on their skin coolers. These factors increase the chances of these patients being hosts of chronic illnesses.
The Hispanic population experiences racism frequently, though not as frequently as the Black American population. This racial discrimination is a psychosocial stressor that can have potential side effects. Chronic stress can lead to weight gain (Hackett & Steptoe, 2017). This can be due to the fact that stress can induce cravings for ‘comfort food.’ This alters the pattern of food consumption. Perceived racism among the Hispanic community is associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The factors that influence health promotion, preferences, and perceptions of diabetes are mainly built into the US’s economic, political, and social fabric. As such, many of the factors that may lead to this community making certain choices are not entirely personal choices but are influenced by external forces. These external forces are low income, unemployment, a lack of health insurance, and poor diet and exercise environments.
I believe that every person is entitled to believe in whatever they choose to believe in, and this should not influence the quality of health care they receive. Cultural differences affect how different patients understand and cope with illnesses. As a nurse, it is imperative that I learn about the cultural traditions of the patients. I should also be nonjudgmental to the patient and accept the information given to me even if they differ from my values.
I also believe that every person has the right to access medical care and to live a life free of diabetes. Because of the different social barriers, it would take extensive and collaborative work to address these disparities. A good place to start would be to educate the general population about diabetes. Also, the different sectors involved in healthcare should learn about the challenges faced by people of color when it comes to diabetes (Pascoe, 2017).
The racial difference in wealth is huge. People of color are more likely to be unemployed (Manduca, 2018). Families living below the poverty level often can’t afford a decent nutritious meal. They also can’t afford to live in safe environments that provide exercise opportunities. Such families also can’t afford to pay for health insurance that will enable them to easily access the healthcare needed to manage or prevent diabetes. Preventive healthcare includes checkups and prediabetes screens.
Diet and exercise are known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetes. Having a healthy diet improves the outcomes of type 2 diabetes. The minor ethnic communities have less access to healthy food than the white communities. In addition to this, the poorer communities have less time to engage in exercise or even go to exercise venues. This is because they spend long hours working and thus have little time to engage in such activities. Conclusively, barriers to healthcare persist even after the diagnosis of the disease. These include the high costs of medication and the inability to get friendly nutrition plans.
References
Johnson, M. J., & Farquharson, H. (2019). Hispanic culture and healthcare in the United States: One person’s perspective. Journal of Nursing Research Practice,(4), 1-2.
Hackett, R. A., & Steptoe, A. (2017). Type 2 diabetes mellitus and psychological stress—a modifiable risk factor. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 13(9), 547.
Pascoe, S. (2017). Health Care Delivery for the US Hispanic Minority Can Be Improved.
Manduca, R. (2018). Income inequality and the persistence of racial economic disparities. Sociological Science, 5, 182.
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Question 
Culture and Health – Blacks and Hispanics
Different cultural groups have unique beliefs and attitudes about health promotion and spirituality. It is important for a nurse practitioner to understand and adapt to those cultural and spiritual beliefs when educating patients.
Culture and Health – Blacks and Hispanics
Write a 750-1,000 word essay defining the AGACNP role of assessing the health and wellness of a specific patient population. Your essay should include three to five peer-reviewed sources.
A patient population can be a group of patients with the same chronic disease, the same ethnicity, from the same community, or any other defined specific group.
Your essay should cover the following:
- Establish how the specific patient population views chronic diseases and the maintenance of wellness.
- Explain the cultural factors that may affect the attitudes of patients and families toward health promotion and maintenance.
- Evaluate how your own personal worldview influences your attitudes and beliefs toward the health maintenance of this patient population.
- Evaluate how cultural bias may result in very different health-related preferences and perceptions.