NRS 429 Topic 4 Health Promotion In Minority Populations Assignment
NRS 429 Topic 4 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Assignment
Health Disparities and Nutritional Challenges
According to CDC, health disparities are preventable differences in opportunities to obtain optimal health and differences in violence, injury, and disease burden among the socially disadvantaged groups. Health disparities exist among African-Americans (CDC, 2020). In comparison to white Americans, African Americans are usually at greater risk of HIV/AIDS, diabetes, pneumonia, influenza, asthma, cancer, stroke, and heart disease. Another glaring health disparity is that African-Americans have a higher probability of dying at early ages for all cases (Sophia, 2020). For instance, the prevalence of hypertension among African-Americans is 12% and 33% among the age groups 18-34 ad 35-49, respectively, compared to the whites of the same age group. In addition, while diabetes is common among only 6% of whites, the figure rises to 10% among African-Americans.
Cancer presents another illness where health disparity occurs. From the American C

NRS 429 Topic 4 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Assignment
ancer Society, African-Americans present with the shortest survival and highest rates of death for most cancers (Miles et al., 2018). In addition, from the National Kidney Foundation statistics, African-Americans have a three times possibility of suffering from kidney failure as compared to other groups, with the population making up for over thirty percent of all the individuals that receive dialysis for kidney complications in the USA. This group also has nutritional challenges that further complicate their health. The African-Americans, both in urban and rural areas, have higher possibilities of experiencing food insecurity resulting from a combination of various factors such as inequitable resource distribution leading to limited access to food (Sophia, 2020). Financial barriers also mean that this group of people cannot consistently buy healthy and nutritious foods.
Barriers to Health among African-Americans
Various factors contribute to health barriers among the African-American population, including socio-political factors, education, socioeconomics, and culture. Barriers to health among African-Americans have taken years to reach where they are today; socio-political factors have contributed to an extent (Grant 2019). For instance, marginalization by the political leadership over the years have left African-Americans to have face barrier to health life. The discrimination faced by this group has all led to poor health.
Education is also a barrier; compared to their white counterparts, African Americans are less likely to get a high-quality education, leading to greater challenges of accessing high-quality life and adopting a healthy lifestyle. African-Americans have also been shown to be among the poorest groups of minorities living in the USA (Grant, 2019). Low socioeconomic ability means that they are less likely to access quality care, eat healthy foods, and lead healthy lifestyles. Finally, culture has also acted as a barrier to health among African Americans. The African-Americans have some traditional beliefs that bar them from accessing health. For instance, some believe that chronic diseases such as HIV/AIDS result from a curse; hence they do not need medical management but a spiritual one.
Common Health Promotion Activities among African-Americans
Health promotion activities are essential for better and improved individual and community health. Among African Americans, there are various common health promotion activities. It has been shown that various conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, stroke, and cancer are the top causes of mortality among this group. As such, health promotion activities such as community education drives that teach individuals the importance of physical activity and staying healthy, teaching people about healthy diet and ensuring that people follow healthcare plans (Derose et al., 2019). Communication is key to raising awareness regarding healthy behaviors through newsletters, mass media campaigns, health fairs, and public service announcements.
Approach for Care plan
Various approaches can be used to make care plans more effective depending on the unique needs of a group. One approach that can be effective among African Americans is culture-based health education. Education can be used as a primary, secondary, and tertiary health promotion approach for a care plan. Culture means a lot to African-Americans; hence a culture-specific education strategy can be the most effective to help them lead lifestyles that bar an onset of diseases, go for early screening for diseases, and engage in healthy activities to restore health after a period of the disease (Derose et al., 2019).
Cultural beliefs to Consider and a Suitable Cultural Theory
Culture is one of the things that a healthcare professional has to consider when coming up with a care plan. Some of them include the belief that surgery may cause cancer or spread it, seeking treatment from spiritual healers and home remedies, eating healthily may mean that an individual has to leave certain foods that are part of the cultural heritage, and fearing the use of opioids to manage pain in fear that they may cause addition. Cultural theories or models are key in supporting culturally competent health promotion (Giger & Haddad, 2020). One of the most relevant theories is the Purnell model. This model is critical in understanding different cultural attributes giving the nurses a powerful tool for viewing patient attributes with their culture as the background. The reason why this theory is relevant is that it has a domain that deals specifically with culture and heritage. The implication is that a nurse can use the model to fully understand the predominant cultural practices hence tailor health promotion activities for better outcomes.
Conclusions
In conclusion, ethnic and racial minorities in the USA experience health disparities that should be addressed. African-Americans as a racial minority have been explored in this write-up with several aspects explored. Their current health status and barriers to health, among other things, have been discussed.
NRS 429 Topic 4 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Assignment
Assessment Description
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 in the NRS 429 Topic 4 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Assignment:
- 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 NRS 429 Topic 4 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Course Resources if you need assistance.
NRS 429 Topic 4 Health Promotion in Minority Populations Assignment Resources
CDC – Minority Health
Explore the resources available on the Minority Health page of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. These materi
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CDC – Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH)
Explore the resources available on the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) page of the Centers for Disease Control a
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SAMHSA – Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations
Explore the resources available on the Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations page of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Admi
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US Department of Health and Human Services
Explore the resources available on the Minority Health page of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website. These materials
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Healthy People 2030
Explore the Healthy People 2030 website.
Health Promotion: Health and Wellness Across the Continuum
Read Chapter 3 in Health Promotion: Health and Wellness Across the Continuum.
Health Promotion in Minority Populations – Rubric
Identification and Description of Selected Minority Group
CRITERIA DESCRIPTION
Identification and Description of Selected Minority Group
Health Disparities and Nutritional Challenges for Minority Group
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
CRITERIA DESCRIPTION
Health Disparities and Nutritional Challenges for Minority Group
Barriers to Health for Minority Group
CRITERIA DESCRIPTION
Barriers to Health for Minority Group
Health Promotion Activities Practiced by Minority Group
CRITERIA DESCRIPTION
Health Promotion Activities Practiced by Minority Group
Three Levels of Health Promotion Prevention
CRITERIA DESCRIPTION
Three Levels of Health Promotion Prevention
Cultural Competent Health Promotion for Ethnic Minority Population
CRITERIA DESCRIPTION
Cultural Competent Health Promotion for Ethnic Minority Population
Thesis, Position, or Purpose
CRITERIA DESCRIPTION
Communicates reason for writing and demonstrates awareness of audience.
Development, Structure, and Conclusion
CRITERIA DESCRIPTION
Advances position or purpose throughout writing; conclusion aligns to and evolves from development.
Evidence
CRITERIA DESCRIPTION
Selects and integrates evidence to support and advance position/purpose; considers other perspectives.
Mechanics of Writing
CRITERIA DESCRIPTION
Includes spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, language use, sentence structure, etc.
Format/Documentation
CRITERIA DESCRIPTION
Uses appropriate style, such as APA, MLA, etc., for college, subject, and level; documents sources using citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., appropriate to assignment and discipline.