Health Concerns of African Americans

Health Concerns of African Americans

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease is higher among African Americans than the general population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017), African Americans have a mortality rate from cardiovascular disease that is 1.5 times that of Whites. Additionally, African American women have a higher mortality rate from stroke than White women. Various factors influence these disparities; they include socioeconomic status, access to medical treatment, diet, and physical activity levels.

When it comes to cultural aspects, the cultural legacy of slavery and racism in the United States is still felt today. There is a wide range of African American spoken languages, styles of music, cuisines, and practices (Lynch, 2018). Many African Americans maintain their spiritual and religious traditions from Africa because of their strong ties to the continent. African Americans are devoted to social justice, love and value their families, and respect their elders. They also feel a deep sense of duty to their group as a whole.

Nurses caring for African American patients must be familiar with their patient’s social and cultural contexts to effectively administer culturally sensitive therapy (Kaihlanen et al., 2019). The nurse’s goal should be to win the patient’s confidence by being kind and accommodating. For effective patient education, the nurse must also consider the patient’s language, culture, and beliefs. The nurse must be well-versed in the patient’s healthcare plan and have contacts ready (Kudzma, 2019). Lastly, the nurse must collaborate with other medical team members to provide the best treatment possible.

In conclusion, the cultural needs of African Americans in terms of healthcare are partly met because of nurses’ efforts. Nurses may provide better care to patients if they take the time to learn about their patients’ cultures and practices.

References

CDC. (2017, July 3). African American Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/aahealth/index.html

Kaihlanen, A.-M., Hietapakka, L., & Heponiemi, T. (2019). Increasing cultural awareness: Qualitative study of nurses’ perceptions about cultural competence training. BMC Nursing, 18(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-019-0363-x

Kudzma, E. (2019). Health Promotion Throughout the Life Span.

Lynch, H. (2018). African Americans | History & Culture. In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/African-American

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Step 1 Research health concerns for a population of your choice.
Use the Center for Disease Control to guide your research.

Step 2 Post a response to the discussion board. In your response, address the following prompts:

Describe one health concern and one health statistic of this population.
Discuss one cultural aspect of this culture.
Discuss the potential nursing role in the implementation of a recommended culturally sensitive intervention.
Step 3 Read other students’ posts and respond to at least two of them by Friday at 11:59pm MT.

In your responses, compare and contrast the nursing role of your cultures/populations with that of your peers.

Use your personal experience, if it’s relevant, to support or debate other students’ posts. If differences of opinion occur, debate the issues professionally and provide examples to support opinions.