NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay
Grand Canyon University NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay-Step-By-Step Guide
This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Grand Canyon University NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.
How to Research and Prepare for NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay
Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Grand Canyon University NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.
After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.
How to Write the Introduction for NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay
The introduction for the Grand Canyon University NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.
How to Write the Body for NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay
After the introduction, move into the main part of the NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.
Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.
How to Write the Conclusion for NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay
After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.
How to Format the References List for NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay
The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.
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NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay
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:
1. Describe the ethnic minority group selected. Describe the current health status of this group. How do race
and ethnicity infuence health for this group?
2. What are the health disparities that exist for this group? What are the nutritional challenges for this group?
3. Discuss the barriers to health for this group resulting from culture, socioeconomics, education, and
sociopolitical factors.
4. What health promotion activities are often practiced by this group?
5. Describe at least one approach using the three levels of health promotion prevention (primary, secondary,
and tertiary) that is likely to be the most efective 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 efective choice.
6. 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?
Sample Answer for NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay
A minority population refers to a group of people who make up less than half of a country’s or state’s population and whose members have common characteristics of religion, culture, race, ethnicity, or language. Minority racial/ethnic groups in the US have distinctive health characteristics and attributes that are often socially disadvantaged due to being subjected to potential discriminatory acts. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the health status of American Indians/Alaska Natives and explore the health disparities, barriers to health, and health promotion activities and approaches.
Ethnic Minority Group
American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) are a minority ethnic group in the US comprised of people with origins from North, Central, and South America who preserve the tribal and community affiliation. According to the Census Bureau, 9.7 million people identified themselves as AI/AN alone or in combination with another race in 2020 (Frey, 2020). The number has increased from 5.2 million in 2010. AIAN currently accounts for 2.9% of the US population. AI/AN are the second-largest racial group in various states after Whites (Frey, 2020). States with the highest population of AIAN are Alaska (14.8%), New Mexico (8.9%), South Dakota (8.4%), Montana (6 %), and North Dakota (4.8 %).
Generally, AI/ANs have a poorer health status than the majority population. Statistics show that 22.4% of adults aged 18 years and older are in fair or poor health. The common diseases among AI/AN include heart diseases, cancers, diabetes, stroke, and unintentional injuries. The U.S Office of Minority Health (OMH) states that AI/ANs have a high incidence and risk factors for obesity, diabetes, mental health disorders, substance use, suicide, unintentional injuries, sudden infant death syndrome, teenage pregnancy, liver disease, and hepatitis. The leading causes of death among AI/AN in 2020 were COVID-19 complications, Heart disease, and Cancer (OMH, 2021). AI/AN continues to have higher mortality rates than the general population due to various conditions, including chronic lower respiratory diseases, diabetes mellitus, chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, assault/homicide, unintentional injuries, and intentional self-harm/suicide. In 2020 AI/AN had 967.1 deaths per 100,000 population (OMH, 2021). Race and ethnicity influence the health of AI/AN since individuals encounter various issues that bar them from receiving quality medical care, including geographic isolation, cultural barriers, poor sanitation facilities, and low income.
Health Disparities
A health disparity refers to a health difference that negatively affects disadvantaged or minority populations. AI/AN have a lower
quality of life and a lower life expectancy. In addition, they are disproportionately affected by numerous chronic disorders. A study by Adakai et al. (2018) found that AI/AN had a significantly higher prevalence of overweight/obesity, diabetes, hypertension, physical inactivity, and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Compared to the entire U.S. population, chronic liver disease, diabetes, and cirrhosis are more common causes of mortality among the AI/AN population (Adakai et al., 2018). Chronic respiratory diseases are also prevalent among the population. According to OMH, AI/AN had a tuberculosis rate about seven times more than Whites, with an incidence rate of 3.4, while for Whites was 0.5 (OMH, 2021). Furthermore, mental health and substance use disorders are a disparity in AI/AN. Disorders like depression, psychological distress, alcohol abuse, and suicide are the leading cause of death.
Nutritional challenges are prevalent among AI/ANs, as evidenced by nutrition-related disorders. Poor dietary habits in this community have been associated with a high prevalence of lifestyle diseases like overweight/obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Obesity/overweight rates are higher among AI/ANs than in the general population. Their diet is of poor nutritional value with high calories (Adakai et al., 2018). This is associated with limited access to healthy traditional foods, westernization, and poverty levels limiting access to healthy food options resulting in high consumption of unhealthy foods.
Barriers to Health
Cultural, socioeconomic, education, and sociopolitical factors are common barriers to health among AI/AN. Cultural factors like the use of traditional healers affect their health-seeking behaviors, while language barriers limit the interactions with health providers and accessing health education. AI/ANs have a low socioeconomic status with poverty levels above the national average, contributing to poorer health outcomes. The community has high uninsurance rates of 27.3% among adults aged 18–64, limiting their access to essential and specialized healthcare services (Cromer et al., 2019). Furthermore, AI/ANs have a low education level compared to the general population, with a high population not completing high school. In 2019, 84.4% of A AI/ANs had completed high school, as opposed to 93.3% of non-Hispanic whites. The low educational levels adversely affect their health-seeking behaviors leading to poor health outcomes (Cromer et al., 2019). Sociopolitical factors like the late 19th century policies that banned the AI/AN religious practices, native language, and traditional healing practices and confiscated their land have limited access to health (Mangla & Agarwal, 2021). AI/ANs developed a mistrust of other ethnic groups and are thus reluctant to access health care from providers of other ethnic groups.
ALSO READ: Family Health Assessment Part I NRS 429
Health Promotion Activities
AI/ANs practice various health promotion interventions to improve their health and overall wellbeing. Traditional healing practices are common, including native herbal remedies and allopathic medicine. In addition, AI/ANs use spiritual healing to promote overall spiritual wellbeing, which they believe is vital in promoting better health and wellbeing (Cromer et al., 2019). For instance, AI/ANs combine herbs, spiritual ceremonies, manipulative therapies, and prayers to prevent and manage different health conditions. Positive social behaviors are reinforced among children through stories and legends, which help lower the crime rate in the community. Furthermore, AI/ANs living in Arizona have adopted daily running to improve physical health and spiritual wellbeing.
Health Promotion Approach
Health education is the most effective approach that can be applied at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels in implementing a care plan for AI/AN. The community has a high prevalence of lifestyle conditions, and health education would be crucial in alleviating the risk factors to prevent the diseases (Kaur et al., 2022). Besides, health education can educate the community on screening services for chronic illnesses and educate individuals diagnosed with these conditions on managing their condition effectively. Health education is the most effective strategy since it changes individuals’ health behaviors and attitudes, resulting in healthier lifestyle practices (Kaur et al., 2022). For instance, educating the community on preventive measures for obesity can help them adopt weight management measures and ultimately lower the risk of other lifestyle diseases.
Cultural Beliefs/Practices to Consider in a Care Plan
A community care plan should incorporate the people’s cultural beliefs and practices to ensure it is culturally appropriate. The nurse should consider cultural beliefs and practices, including health promotion practices, dietary customs and preferences, cultural rituals, and traditional healing practices like the use of herbs. The nurse should incorporate the community’s health promotion practices (Purnell, 2019). In addition, the nurse should consider the community’s dietary customs when creating the nutrition plan and include foods available in the community. The nurse should also research the useful herbs that a community uses and include them in the care plan rather than discourage them.
The Purnell Model would be ideal for promoting culturally competent health promotion in AI/AN. It guides cultural competence among multidisciplinary members of the healthcare team. The model interrelates cultural characteristics to promote congruence and the delivery of consciously sensitive and competent patient care (Purnell, 2019). The Purnell Model supports culturally competent health promotion since it proposed that a person has the right to be respected for their uniqueness and cultural heritage.
Conclusion
AI/ANs have a high prevalence of lifestyle diseases like obesity/overweight, diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, and cancer. In addition, mental health is a major concern due to a high incidence of depression, substance use disorders, and suicide. Inadequate access to healthy foods has led to high rates of lifestyle diseases. Factors that adversely affect their health outcomes include high uninsurance rates, low education levels, high poverty rates, language barriers, and mistrust of others. Health education can be used in the three levels of health promotion.
References
Adakai, M., Sandoval-Rosario, M., Xu, F., Aseret-Manygoats, T., Allison, M., Greenlund, K. J., & Barbour, K. E. (2018). Health disparities among American Indians/Alaska Natives—Arizona, 2017. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 67(47), 1314. http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6747a4
Cromer, K. J., Wofford, L., & Wyant, D. K. (2019). Barriers to healthcare access facing American Indians and Alaska Natives in rural America. Journal of community health nursing, 36(4), 165-187. https://doi.org/10.1080/07370016.2019.1665320
Frey, W. H. (2020). The nation is diversifying even faster than predicted, according to new census data. Brookings Institute.
Kaur, S., Kaur, M., & Kumar, R. (2022). Health promotion intervention to prevent risk factors of chronic diseases: Protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial among adolescents in school settings of Chandigarh (India). PloS one, 17(2), e0263584. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263584
Mangla, A., & Agarwal, N. (2021). Clinical Practice Issues In American Indians and Alaska Natives. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.
Purnell, L. (2019). Update: The Purnell theory and model for culturally competent health care. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 30(2), 98-105. https://doi.org/10.1177/1043659618817587
The Office of Minority Health. (2021, May 21). American Indian/Alaska native – The Office of Minority Health. Not Found. https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=62
Sample Answer 2 for NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay
The major minority ethnic/racial populations in the United States (U.S) include African Americans, Asians, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. The minority groups face many cultural, socioeconomic, and sociopolitical barriers in accessing health care resulting in poor health status (Stanley et al., 2020). Consequently, the barriers cause major health disparities in these communities, which cause high morbidity and mortality rates. In this regard, this paper will discuss the health status of American Indians/Alaska Natives, including their health status, health disparities, healthcare barriers, and health promotion activities they practice.
American Indians/Alaska Natives
American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) are a minority population in the US consisting of individuals with origins from the people originating from North, Central, and South America, who keep up with the tribal or community affiliation. According to the U.S Office of Minority Health (OMH), approximately 5.7 million persons in 2019 were identified as only AI/AN or mixed with another ethnicity. AI/ANs constitute 1.7% of the overall U.S. population. Of this population, 27.5% (1.6 million) were below 18 years (OMH, 2021). The AI/AN tribes recognized federally receive health and education assistance through the Indian Health Service (IHS), a government agency. The IHS manages an all-inclusive health service delivery system for about 2.6 million AI/ANs. The AI/ANs living in urban areas generally have limited access to healthcare. Studies on AI/ANs living in urban areas have established a pattern of poor health and few health care options.
Health Status of AI/ANs
AI/ANs generally have a poor health status evidenced by a lower quality of life, a lower life expectancy, and a higher prevalence of many chronic illnesses. The 2020 life expectancies at birth for AI/ANs were 78.4 years, 81.1 years for females, and 75.8 years for males (OMH, 2021). The expectancy is lower than that of non-Hispanic whites, 80.6 years, 82.7 years for females, and 78.4 years for males. The prevalent diseases and common causes of mortality include diabetes, heart disease, unintentional injuries, cancer, and stroke. In addition, they have a high occurrence and risk factors for mental health disorders, suicide, substance use, teenage pregnancy, obesity, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), liver disease, and hepatitis (OMH, 2021). They also have a high TB rate, seven-fold higher than Whites. Race/ethnicity influences health for AI/ANs as they face issues that bar them from receiving quality health care. The issues include geographic isolation, cultural barriers, low income, and inadequate sewage disposal.
Health Disparities and Nutritional Challenges
AI/ANs have most of the debilitating health disparities in the U.S. According to the National Vital Statistics Reports, accidents contributed to 11.6% of total mortalities in 2017 among AI/ANs compared to 6.0% of total mortalities in the general US population (Heron, 2019). Besides, diabetes caused 5.8%, and chronic liver disease/cirrhosis led to 5.5% of AI/ANs mortalities. Depression is a major disparity among AI/ANs. AI/ANs are 2.5 fold highly likely than non-Hispanic Whites to develop severe psychological distress. Furthermore, alcohol consumption causes AI/AN accident mortality, which is the third common cause of mortality, while cirrhosis/chronic liver disease is the fifth leading (Heron, 2019). Suicide is also a significant health disparity for AI/ANs with mental health and social elements. The suicide mortality rate for AI/ANs is 16.9/100,000, while for Whites is 13.1/100,000.
The AI/ANs experience significant nutrition-related chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, obesity, cancer, and heart disease. They have higher obesity rates than nearly all ethnic groups (Carron, 2020). Poverty, in addition to a history of sponsored food programs, have contributed to diets high in calories and with poor nutritional value. Warne and Wescott (2019) explain that lack of access to traditional AI/ANs food systems and limited financial opportunities on most AI/ANs reservations are major social determinants that put the population at high risk for obesity. Furthermore, AI/ANs face challenges of limited access to grocery stores supplying healthy foods resulting in a high intake of unhealthy foods.
Barriers to Health from Culture, Socioeconomics, Education, and Sociopolitical Factors
AI/ANs culture creates barriers in accessing health care due to language barriers, making it challenging for providers to offer appropriate preventative interventions. They practice traditional healing, which lowers their health-seeking behaviors. Socioeconomic status and level of education are predictors of health status (Mangla & Agarwal, 2021). AI/ANs have a high population that has not completed high school. Besides, approximately 19% of the population has incomes lower than the federal poverty level (Carron, 2020). The low socioeconomic and poverty status has contributed to poor health-seeking behaviors and low insurance coverage rates, limiting healthcare access. Sociopolitical factors further limit access to health for AI/ANs. From the late 19th century, federal governments enacted various policies to wipe out the native culture and identity. The policies caused the banning of the native language and religious practices, confiscation of land, and ban of traditional healers, which led to a profound mistrust in the community (Mangla & Agarwal, 2021). As a result, AI/ANs have mistrust in accessing care from providers from other communities, limiting their access to healthcare.
Health Promotion Activities Practiced By AI/ANs
Health promotion activities practiced by AI/ANs include traditional healing practices using allopathic medicine and native herbal remedies to improve health and wellbeing. Spiritual treatments are vital for health promotion and healing in the AI/ANs community. Natives in Arizona run every day to greet the dawn, promoting physical health and spiritual wellbeing. Besides, they use stories and legends to reinforce positive behaviors and the implications of failing to uphold the laws of nature. AI/ANs use manipulative therapies, herbs, ceremonies, and prayer in different combinations to prevent and treat diseases.
Health Promotion Approach
The primary level of health promotion attempts to remove the possibility of getting a disease. It is likely to be most effective in a care plan for AI/ANs, considering the population’s high prevalence of chronic illnesses and mental health disorders. Through primary health promotion, individuals can be provided health education directed on preventing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease (Peckham et al., 2017). For instance, it can target excessive alcohol consumption, inadequate exercise, and unhealthy dietary patterns, thus reducing the chances of liver disease, obesity, diabetes, and accidents. Primary prevention is the most effective choice since it can help change the community’s behaviors, thus lowering their chance of developing diseases caused by unhealthy behaviors.
Cultural Beliefs/Practices to Consider When Creating a Care Plan
Providers must understand the differences in cultural beliefs and practices among various ethnic groups when developing a care plan. Health providers should consider the differences present in the belief of individuals from the AI/AN community. Even though many AI/AN tribes have adopted Christianity, their culture remains deep-rooted in their traditions (Mangla & Agarwal, 2021). Therefore, they should be considered to ensure the provision of culturally appropriate care. The nurses creating the care plan for an AI/AN individual or community should obtain information on their health practices, cultural beliefs, dietary customs, and cultural rituals.
The Purnell Model for Cultural Competence would be ideal for fostering culturally competent health promotion for AI/ANs. The Purnell Model enables providers to collect patient information and conduct health promotion activities focusing on 12 cultural domains (Purnell, 2019). The cultural domains are: high-risk behaviors, health care practices, nutrition, pregnancy, family roles and organization, heritage, communication, spirituality, workforce issues, biocultural ecology, health care professionals, and death rituals (Purnell, 2019). Consequently, the Purnell Model can establish unhealthy behaviors among AI/ANs and plan health promotion activities for the population.
Conclusion
AI/ANs AI have a poor health status evidenced by a lower quality of life, a lower life expectancy, and a higher prevalence of illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, liver disease/hepatitis, and mental disorders. They face substantial health disparities in various areas, including metabolic and mental disorders. Health disparities are apparent in accidents, diabetes, chronic liver diseases, and mental disorders. Besides, their lower socioeconomic and educational status is connected with worse health outcomes. Primary prevention is the most effective for this population to modify behaviors that cause chronic illnesses.
References
Adakai, M., Sandoval-Rosario, M., Xu, F., Aseret-Manygoats, T., Allison, M., Greenlund, K. J., & Barbour, K. E. (2018). Health disparities among American Indians/Alaska Natives—Arizona, 2017. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 67(47), 1314. http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6747a4
Carron, R. (2020). Health disparities in American Indians/Alaska Natives: Implications for nurse practitioners. The Nurse Practitioner, 45(6), 26-32.
Heron, M. (2019). Deaths: leading causes for 2017 [USA]. National vital statistics reports: from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, 68(6), 1-77.
Mangla, A., & Agarwal, N. (2021). Clinical Practice Issues In American Indians and Alaska Natives. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.
Peckham, S., Hann, A., Kendall, S., & Gillam, S. (2017). Health promotion and disease prevention in general practice and primary care: a scoping study. Primary health care research & development, 18(6), 529-540. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1463423617000494
Purnell, L. (2019). Update: The Purnell theory and model for culturally competent health care. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 30(2), 98-105. https://doi.org/10.1177/1043659618817587
Stanley, L. R., Swaim, R. C., Kaholokula, J. K. A., Kelly, K. J., Belcourt, A., & Allen, J. (2020). The imperative for research to promote health equity in indigenous communities. Prevention Science, 21(1), 13-21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-017-0850-9
The Office of Minority Health. (2021, May 21). American Indian/Alaska native – The Office of Minority Health. Not Found. https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=62
Warne, D., & Wescott, S. (2019). Social determinants of American Indian nutritional health. Current developments in nutrition, 3(Supplement_2), 12-18. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzz054
Sample Answer 3 for NRS 429 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Essay
America comprises diverse ethnic minority groups. African Americans are part of the ethnic minority groups in the USA. Therefore, this paper examines the barriers to health experienced by African Americans, health promotion activities, and cultural aspects that should be considered in the care process.
The Selected Ethnic Minority Group
The selected ethnic minority group in the USA is African Americans. African Americans are the second-largest ethnic minority group after the Hispanic/Latino population. The states with the largest population of African Americans include Georgia, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, New York, Illinois, Maryland, Louisiana, and Virginia. The current health status of African Americans shows them having a low level of health insurance coverage. For example, 55.9% of the African Americans had medical insurance coverage compared to 74.7% of the non-Hispanic whites. In addition, the life expectancy of African Americans is 77.0 years compared to 80.6 years for non-Hispanic whites. The mortality rate among African Americans is also higher than that of whites. The rate of non-communicable diseases such as asthma, cancer, stroke, and diabetes is higher in African Americans than whites (OMH, 2021). Race influences the health status of African Americans. Race affects their socioeconomic determinants of health, such as access to healthcare services, level of education, employment opportunities, and profiling in most states (Shepherd et al., 2018).
Health Disparities
Significant health disparities exist in African Americans compared to other ethnicities in the USA. First, African Americans are increasingly predisposed to health problems such as heart disease, hypertension, depression, obesity, and stroke. For example, a study by Fei, (2017) demonstrated that the prevalence of hypertension in New York City was highest in non-Hispanic blacks (43.5%) compared to 38.0% in Asians, 33.0% in Hispanics, and 27.5% for the non-Hispanic whites. African Americans are also 30% higher at risk of dying from heart disease when compared to non-Hispanic whites (HHS.Gov, 2021). African Americans also experience severe mental illnesses such as depression, with more debilitating outcomes than other ethnic groups in the USA (Williams, 2018). The other aspect of health disparity evident in African Americans is access to care. Unlike non-Hispanic whites, African Americans are highly likely to experience challenges in accessing high-quality care due to influences such as poverty, unemployment, and unaffordability of specialized care among this group. The disparities in access to healthcare also arise from the low level of health insurance coverage among African Americans compared to non-Hispanic whites (National Academies of Sciences et al., 2017). The mortality rate due to conditions such as stroke, influence, homicide, cancer, stroke, HIV/AIDS, and asthma is also higher in African Americans than non-Hispanic whites (OMH, 2021). African Americans experience nutritional challenges that include the highest rate of overweight and obesity. Sedentary lifestyles, inadequate physical activity, and unhealthy diets predispose African Americans to overweight and obesity. As a result, the rates of other health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and heart disease are higher in African Americans compared to non-Hispanic whites (Assari, 2018).
Barriers to Health
African Americans also experience barriers to health due to culture, education, socioeconomics, and sociopolitical factors. Culture influences the uptake of health promotion services such as screening by African Americans. Their cultural beliefs towards the significance of screening services for diseases such as prostate and breast cancer have led to them experiencing worse outcomes in the treatment process. Accordingly, African Americans have low uptake of cancer screening services due to their cultural beliefs about screening. Education also contributes to barriers to health that African Americans experience. The educational attainment of African Americans is lower than that of non-Hispanic whites. For example, 87.2% of African Americans aged 25 years and above had at least a high school diploma compared to 93.3% of the American whites. The attainment of university education and higher is lower in African Americans (22.6%) when compared to non-Hispanic whites (36.9%). Low education attainment among African Americans acts as a barrier to health. It affects their access to employment opportunities, affordability of high-quality care, and living in healthy neighborhoods with a minimal predisposition to environmental hazards (OMH, 2021).
Socioeconomic factors also act as a source of barriers to health among African Americans. For instance, the level of unemployment is high among African Americans compared to non-Hispanic whites. The average household income in African American homes is also low ($43771) compared to non-Hispanic whites’ homes ($71664). The socioeconomic differences imply that African Americans experience hardships in paying for the care they need, hence, the disparity (OMH, 2021). Sociopolitical factors have minimal effect on access to care by African Americans. Accordingly, the political environment has created equal opportunities for optimum health and prosperity for all in the USA.
Health Promotion Activities
Health problems affect African Americans disproportionately. As a result, government, non-governmental, faith-based, and other agencies have increased the need for lifestyle and behavioral modifications by African Americans to minimize their risk of adverse health outcomes. The interventions have increased awareness among African Americans about the importance of health promotion activities. The level of involvement in activities such as utilizing screening services and maintaining active physical activity to promote health has increased significantly among African Americans (Palmer et al., 2021). African Americans also understand and embrace healthy diets to minimize their predisposition to health problems such as obesity and overweight. There is also the utilization of social media and digital technologies to enhance healthy lifestyles and behaviors among this group (Holt et al., 2017).
Health Promotion
The primary prevention approach for health promotion that is appropriate to meet the health needs of African Americans is health education. Health education can raise awareness among African Americans on how to meet their health needs. Health education will also stimulate them to explore the resources in their communities that can address barriers to healthcare. Health education will also empower them to take responsibility for their health. They will be motivated to transform their lifestyle and behaviors to minimize their risk of health problems such as obesity and overweight. Lastly, health education will enhance their health promotion interventions such as screening for non-communicable diseases such as cancer and hypertension.
Cultural Beliefs and Practices
African Americans have unique cultural beliefs and practices that should be incorporated into care plans. They include the vital role of religion in the healing process. As a result, the development of care plans should incorporate the recognition of religion in the treatment process. African Americans also have traditional remedies for treating illnesses. Nurses should educate them about the importance of avoiding traditional medications when being treated with conventional healthcare interventions. Nurses should ensure that effective home remedies are kept by the bedside for patient use (Holt et al., 2017). Leininger’s theory would be best to support culturally competent health promotion for African Americans. The theory strengthens the provision of culturally competent care in nursing. It also enhances the need to provide patient-centered, holistic care that addresses the unique needs of African Americans (McFarland & Wehbe-Alamah, 2019).
Conclusion
African Americans comprise an ethnic minority group in the USA. African Americans experience barriers to health due to cultural, socioeconomic, and level of education. African Americans engage in a wide range of health promotion activities to enhance their health outcomes. Nurses should focus on providing culturally appropriate care to address the unique health needs of African Americans. Theories of culture such as Leininger’s theory can be applied to address these needs.
References
Assari, S. (2018). Perceived Discrimination and Binge Eating Disorder; Gender Difference in African Americans. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 7(5), 89. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm7050089
Fei, K. (2017). Racial and Ethnic Subgroup Disparities in Hypertension Prevalence, New York City Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013–2014. Preventing Chronic Disease, 14. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd14.160478
HHS.Gov. (2021). Heart Disease and African Americans—The Office of Minority Health. https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=4&lvlid=19
Holt, C. L., Graham-Phillips, A. L., Mullins, C. D., Slade, J. L., Savoy, A., & Carter, R. (2017). Health ministry and activities in African American faith-based organizations: A qualitative examination of facilitators, barriers, and use of technology. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 28(1), 378–388. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2017.0029
McFarland, M. R., & Wehbe-Alamah, H. B. (2019). Leininger’s Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality: An Overview With a Historical Retrospective and a View Toward the Future. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 30(6), 540–557. https://doi.org/10.1177/1043659619867134
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