Health Promotion in minority populations

Select an ethnic minority group that is represented in the United States (American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian American, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander). Using health information available from Healthy People, the CDC, and other relevant government websites, analyze the health status for this group.

In a paper of 1,000-1,250 words, compare and contrast the health status of your selected minority group to the national average. Include the following:

Describe the ethnic minority group selected. Describe the current health status of this group. How do race and ethnicity influence health for this group?
What are the health disparities that exist for this group? What are the nutritional challenges for this group?
Discuss the barriers to health for this group resulting from culture, socioeconomics, education, and sociopolitical factors.
What health promotion activities are often practiced by this group?
Describe at least one approach using the three levels of health promotion prevention (primary, secondary, and tertiary) that is likely to be the most effective in a care plan given the unique needs of the minority group you have selected. Provide an explanation of why it might be the most effective choice.
What cultural beliefs or practices must be considered when creating a care plan? What cultural theory or model would be best to support culturally competent health promotion for this population? Why?
Cite at least three peer-reviewed or scholarly sources to complete this assignment. Sources should be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and public health content.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

ANSWER

The Health Status of African Americans

The United States is home to different ethnic groups. Due to this, there are high racial disparity cases when it comes to health care coverage, mental health, chronic health conditions, and mortality (Carratala & Maxwell, 2020). The disparities in health care result from systematic inequality in the American economy, housing, and health care. African Americans are partially or wholly descendants from any of the black racial groups in Africa.  According to the center for American progress, in 2017, 10.6% of African Americans were uninsured in comparison to 5.9% of non-Hispanic whites. This means that the percentage of insured African Americans was 89.4%, and that of whites was 93.7%.  Out of those insured African Americans, 44.1% had government health insurance coverage. In research done on African Americans under the age of 65, 12.1% of them were completely uninsured. In matters of their health conditions, 13.8% of them suffer from chronic health conditions, while the non-Hispanic whites have 8.3% of their population suffering from chronic health conditions. These statistics show the difference between the type of healthcare the whites receive and that of African Americans. In mental health consultation and treatments, the statistics still show the same disparities.

Health disparities are caused by social determinants such as racism, poverty, education, housing, and access to healthy foods, violence, and criminal justice. Racism is one of the leading factors that contribute to the inequality in health, followed by poverty. Most African Americans prefer to self-medicate than to go to the hospital as they feel that they are not well attended to in the hospital.  Due to the high poverty levels in the minority group, most of the population cannot afford health insurance and cannot access quality health care. The lack of exercise and unhealthy eating among African Americans leads to the development of risk conditions such as cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.  Unhealthy eating habits are a concern among African Americans. The unhealthy lifestyle is, however as a result of poverty and racism. Most African American families cannot afford healthy diets and do not have time to exercise as they have to work extra to meet their needs.

Poverty is a leading factor in the facilitation of unhealthy lifestyles. Poverty leads to the lack of basic human needs such as healthcare, education, clothing, and shelter. African Americans are the poorest ethnic group in the United States. Due to the high poverty levels, blacks end up living in conditions that are a health risk factor (Noonan et al, 2016). They are likely to live near air pollutants, the crime levels in their neighborhoods are higher, lack of education leads to them not getting quality jobs, and sometimes, racism bars them from entering the corporate world when they have the education. All these conditions result in them living unhealthily and therefore suffer from lifestyle diseases. To curb the lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and heart disease, African Americans need to get into activities that facilitate their health.  Therefore, they are trying to consume vegetables and fruits, be involved in physical activities, and embark on screening to ensure they lead healthy lifestyles. The blacks complain of not having enough time to partake in leisure activities such as exercise, but it is in their best interest to partake more in these activities as they will facilitate their health.

As a result of the type of diseases affecting the African American community, the secondary care plan would be most appropriate. The secondary prevention plan involves routine screening and regular visits to the doctor. These would, as a result, lead to early detection of cancer and better control of diabetes, hypertension, and heart diseases (Noonan et al, 2016). While commencing the plan, one should be aware of the cultural practices among the African Americans, and therefore cultural competence should be practiced. Anyone prejudiced against African Americans should not be involved in the care plan, and more black caregivers will be better for the program. African Americans believe that they are in a better situation if they are treated by one of their people. They are also private people and, therefore, would rather be treated by black caregivers as they feel more at home in their hands. Leininger’s culture care theory is a perfect care theory while establishing cultural competence within this ethnic group. It incorporates assistive, supportive, and facilitative care acts that are made to fit with certain individual groups.

The culturally congruent model by Leininger involves actively involving the patient in their care. The nurse and the client work together to design a lifestyle model that fits them perfectly. In the African American society, one can mix the professional knowledge with the patient’s beliefs to ensure they are receptive to the care being provided and better health results (Wehbe-Alamah, 2018). African Americans tend to be suspicious of medical care providers and only go to the hospital when necessary. It is therefore important to make them feel safe and treat them with love and care. The African Americans of Haitian decently, for example, believe in sympathetic magic (Americans, 2009). African Americans are religious people, which can be incorporated into their care plans to comfort them and give them confidence in medicine. If a patient believes that God is responsible for their health, the care providers should encourage them and let them know that they will do everything possible and then God will take over from them in the healing process. They should also remind them to take care of themselves and make frequent visits in honor of God as God requires them to take care of themselves.

Leininger’s model is therefore efficient in this community because it teaches that care is the essence of nursing and the unifying focus. Caring is essential to curing and healing, and therefore there is no curing without caring (Wehbe-Alamah, 2018). Nursing is about serving people despite their culture or origins. It is adapting to the needs of the patient and taking care of them with love. Leininger’s model would be most appropriate with African Americans. It is a model that teaches the nurses to be loving and caring and to adapt to the patient and not the other way round. If a nurse adapts to the patient, the patient will be more comfortable being cared for by the nurse. The African American community needs more caregivers who take them seriously and attend to their needs without prejudice. If they feel embraced in the health care system, they will embrace visiting the hospital more often for regular check-ups. Cultural competence is essential in the healthcare sector, and the training process is a gradual one that should be globally adopted. Every person has a right to quality health care despite their ethnicity.

References

Americans, A. (2009). A culturally competent model of care for African Americans. Urologic Nursing, 29(1), 49.

Carratala, S & Maxwell, C. (2020). Health Disparities by Race and Ethnicity. Centre for American Progress

Noonan, A. S., Velasco-Mondragon, H. E., & Wagner, F. A. (2016). Improving the health of African Americans in the USA: an overdue opportunity for social justice. Public health reviews, 37(1), 1-20.

Wehbe-Alamah, H. B. (2018). Leininger’s Culture Care Diversity and Universality Theory. Annual Review of Nursing Research, Volume 37: Transcultural and Social Research, 1.