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NRS 429V acquisition of health insurance coverage

NRS 429V acquisition of health insurance coverage

NRS 429V acquisition of health insurance coverage

The American healthcare system is faced with the great challenge of inequality which displays a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, including people of color (Boyd et al., 2020). Such inequalities are the reason behind the gaps in the acquisition of health insurance coverage, leading to uneven access to care services and poor health outcomes among the minority populations. Additionally, studies show that African Americans are significantly impacted by these inequalities contributing to the high prevalence of chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, in addition to the increased mortality rates among this minority population. This discussion provides an analysis of the health status of African Americans, as part of the minority population, in comparison to the national average.

Family Health Assessment is crucial in identifying the family’s strength and weakness in terms of access to quality and affordable care. The assessment also provides crucial information to the healthcare practitioners on the threats to achieving comprehensive health and general wellness for the whole population. Furthermore, the family assessment prepares nurses especially the Family Nurse Practitioners with the relevant skills required in the assessment of the family health patterns and be able to offer family-based solutions (Peterson-Burch, 2018). The concept has also proved to be instrumental in advancement of genetic interventions in some of the complex conditions.

Health Status of African Americans

African Americans make up approximately 13.4% of the United States population. The current health status of black Americans displays an increased prevalence of chronic conditions such as hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, sexually transmitted infections, and diabetes as compared to whites. Increased morbidity and mortality rates among African Americans have been associated with several economic and social factors. For instance, studies show that African Americans have a more likelihood of not seeing a doctor when they are sick, as a result of high healthcare costs (Yearby, 2018). Despite the significant advances in the current healthcare system in the U.S., there is still evidence reporting that racial and ethnic minorities such as black Americans still receive a lower quality of care services leading to poor health outcomes as compared to the whites. As of 2019 August, it was reported that approximately 68 million people had been covered by the Medicaid program, with black Americans accounting for 20%. Given that most black Americans have lower social and economic status, they tend to be poorer than other demographic groups, hence making it harder for them to enroll in health insurance programs like Medicaid.

Health Disparities

The death rate among African Americans has declined by about 25% over the past 17 years precisely for populations above the age of 65 years, as reported by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, studies also show that young African Americans have a higher probability of dying at an early age as a result of increased risks for stroke, heart disease, cancer, pneumonia, diabetes, and HIV/AIDs among other conditions, as compared to their white counterparts. Social factors common among this minority group contributing to the above-mentioned health disparities include unemployment, smoking, alcoholism, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and poverty among others (Bell et al., 2020). Consequently, this group of individuals is also faced with nutritional challenges such as unfavorable nutritional environments, food deserts, food swamps, and food insecurities. For instance, black Americans are associated with poverty and a low level of education, which makes it hard for them to access quality and healthy foods as compared to the economically rich racial majorities. They end up consuming fast foods, among other unhealthy foods, which increases their risk of cardiovascular conditions and obesity.

Barriers to Health

            Various barriers to the accessibility of quality health care services have been identified for the African American population. Predominating barriers include decreased understanding of care plans, inability to pay for care services, lack of transportation to care facility, and the inability of incorporating the recommended health care plans into their routine daily living pattern. These barriers are associated with several cultural, educational, socio-political, and socioeconomic factors. For instance, cultural beliefs among African Americans promoting unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyle, in addition to failure to follow up on routine screening, negatively affects their overall health and utilization of healthcare services irrespective of their social or financial status (Lewis & Dyke, 2018). Consequently, the low socio-economic status among African Americans in terms of low income, unemployment, low education level, and occupation status is also a significant inhibitory factor towards accessibility to quality healthcare services. Lastly, as part of the minorities, blacks in the U.S have limited political influence towards the development of appropriate policies such as the “Obama Care,” to promote their access to quality care services.

Health Promotion Activities

With regard to the numerous health disparities affecting African Americans, several health promotion activities have been proposed over the years to help promote the health and well-being of this minority group. The self-help initiative was introduced among African Americans to promote taking personal responsibility for their health and improving their quality of life. Self-help health promotion practices among black Americans include routine screening for predominating health conditions, physical exercise, healthy diet plans, adoption of recommended care plans, and disease prevention practices at home (Fletcher et al., 2018). Consequently, for the religious members of the community, faith-basedorganizationslike churches have promoted structural health promotion activities including education, health fairs, and smoking cessation among others.

Approach for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

            One of the most effective approaches that can be utilized by African Americans in promoting their health as part of the care plan is the adoption of Pender’s health promotion model. According to the CDC, black Americans are at high risk of chronic diseases, with cardiovascular diseases being the leading cause of death among this group of individuals. Health promotion practices focusing on lifestyle modification have displayed great significance in reducing the risks of cardiovascular diseases. Pender’s health promotion model, on the other hand, provides a foundation promoting the examination of the background influences of this minority population, in line with the health promotion practices that can lead to a healthy lifestyle (Fletcher et al., 2018). At the primary level, this model encourages regular exercise and a healthy diet to prevent chronic diseases and promote healthy living. At the secondary level, the model promotes routing screening for hypertension, diabetes, and cancer among other common diseases. Lastly, at the tertiary level, the model promotes education programs and rehabilitation among the affected individuals.

Cultural Beliefs and Practices

Other than social and economic factors, several cultural factors among black Americans must be considered when developing the most effective care plan. Some of such cultural beliefs include lack of trust in complementary medicine, misconceptions about immunization, and strong religious beliefs against organ donation among other medical procedures. With the theory of cultural humility, clinicians can now come up with flexible care plans, while still upholding the patients’ cultural values and beliefs (Boyd et al., 2020). This theory is based on the importance of preventing cultural discrimination and promoting the equal provision of care to the culturally diverse population.

Conclusion

Health promotion practices are crucial among the general population in disease prevention and improved quality of life. Minority populations such as African Americans, are faced with numerous health disparities as compared to the whites, hence the need for more health promotion activities. However, when coming up with a care plan for this minority population, it is necessary to identify and respect their cultural values and beliefs to promote positive outcomes.

References

Bell, C. N., Sacks, T. K., Tobin, C. S. T., & Thorpe Jr, R. J. (2020). Racial non-equivalence of socioeconomic status and self-rated health among African Americans and Whites. SSM-population health10, 100561.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100561

Boyd, R. W., Lindo, E. G., Weeks, L. D., & McLemore, M. R. (2020). On racism: a new standard for publishing on racial health inequities. Health Affairs Blog10(10.1377). https://doi.org/10.1377/hblog20200630.939347

Fletcher, G. F., Landolfo, C., Niebauer, J., Ozemek, C., Arena, R., & Lavie, C. J. (2018). Promoting physical activity and exercise: JACC health promotion series. Journal of the American College of Cardiology72(14), 1622-1639. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2018.08.2141

Lewis, T. T., & Van Dyke, M. E. (2018). Discrimination and the health of African Americans: The potential importance of intersectionalities. Current Directions in Psychological Science27(3), 176-182. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721418770442

Yearby, R. (2018). Racial disparities in health status and access to healthcare: the continuation of inequality in the United States due to structural racism. American Journal of Economics and Sociology77(3-4), 1113-1152. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajes.12230

Details:

The learning activity and corresponding assignment in this topic requires students to perform a heritage assessment with families selected by the student from their local community.

Interview three families from different cultures. One family can be your own. Compare the differences in health traditions between these cultures.

Assess three families using the “Heritage Assessment Tool.” In 1,000-1,500 words discuss the usefulness of applying a heritage assessment to evaluate the needs of families and develop plans for health maintenance, health protection, and health restoration. Include the following:

1. Perform a heritage assessment on three families.NRS 429V acquisition of health insurance coverage

2. Complete the “Heritage Assessment Tool” for each of the three families interviewed. These must be included with your submission to LoudCloud.

3. Identify common health traditions based on cultural heritage. Evaluate and discuss how the families subscribe to these traditions and practices. Address health maintenance, health protection, and health restoration as they relate to your assessment.

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

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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 Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

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 given the unique needs of the minority group you have selected. Provide an explanation of why it might be the most effective choice. Cite a minimum of three references in the paper.

You will find important health information regarding minority groups by exploring the following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) links:

1. Minority Health: http://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealt/index.html

2. Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations: http://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealt/populations/remp.html

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.

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

Cultural beliefs and practices play a crucial role in shaping health outcomes for different groups of people. The Present-day healthcare landscape has gained increased appreciation for culture as a major health determinant. This explains why the concept of cultural competence is gaining a lot of popularity in the entire healthcare system. Providing culturally competent care has been evidently associated with improved care outcomes for patients. Achieving this fundamental objective requires that a nurse has sufficient knowledge about different cultures and be able to contextualize with every patient’s intrinsic cultural needs and desires (Giger, 2016).

In this regard, this paper presents a comparative analysis of three cultures using the cultural heritage tool. These cultures include; Hispanic, African-American and Asian. The cultural heritage assessment tool is an invaluable resource for every nurse and healthcare professional in that it helps in the accurate and objective depiction of an individual patient’s culture. The use of this tool places the nurse at a vantage point when it comes to understanding how different cultures relate and hence pursue culturally-competent care interventions. Cultural competence translates to the provision of care that is aligned to the intrinsic cultural desires of the patient. Different cultures present different health needs and hence the use of the tool helps nurses from the mistake of generalizing culture (Giger, 2016). Generalizing cultures can significantly hamper the ability of the patient to achieve optimal healing and well-being. The other importance of the cultural heritage assessment tool is that it fosters patient-centeredness. Patient-centeredness means that care has to be customized and fine-tuned to meet the unique and individual desires of the patient. Quality and safety are the most-pursued healthcare outcomes and this is the fundamental objective that every healthcare professional pursues to achieve. The use of this tool helps in striking a balance between culture and health which is quite crucial towards achieving quality and safety (McFarland & Wehbe-Alamah, 2014).

Health maintenance for these three cultures seemingly take the same path or characteristics in that Hispanics, African-Americans and Asians undertake activities such as physical exercise and eating healthy foods. However, the undertaking of these health maintenance activities varies in terms of degrees. For instance, the African American family acknowledged that they belief that exercise of good for health and well-being but they lack a comprehensive plan for physical activity. The Asians also undertake exercise is a rather sparingly manner as compared to the Hispanics.

On the other hand, health protection among these different families take quite peculiar characteristics. Religion plays a crucial role in health protection. For instance, as a Hispanic family- belief in Christianity (Catholic) is an instrumental component in health protection. As a Hispanic and common with all Hispanic families, it is apparent that disease or illness is a sign of straying away from Godly ways. Therefore, to foster health protection- it is a common routine to pray and use religious objects such as the rosary and the Bible. On the other hand, the African-American family is a Christian family and has profound belief in God. Among the religious activities believed to foster health protection include; fasting and attending religious events. The Asian family is Buddhist and believes in religious activities when it comes to protection from disease. These include; meditation and as the interviewee suggested- meditation helps one to connect with God and improve the well-being of the mind and the soul. Apart from religion, there are other activities that are undertaken for the purposes of health protection. These include; eating healthy and cessation from harmful health behaviors.  There is a lot of similarities between these three cultures when it comes to health protection in that they all seem to agree on the role of smoking and alcohol cessation.

Health restoration takes different styles when it comes to these three different cultures. Health restoration among my family members and culture pursues the use of both religion and other non-religious but yet helpful activities intended to foster health restoration in the event of an illness. Praying during illness and inviting members of the clergy is a major way to restore health. Hispanics also believe in the existence of a tight social structure and as such; embraces social and emotional support from family members as a way of promoting the well-being of the mind and the soul which are two crucial components of health restoration and well-being.  The African American family is as well quite observant of religion and prayers as a way of health restoration. The Asian family is also inclined towards practicing Buddhist religious activities in times of illness as it is believed to be a major source of health restoration.

Based on the above analysis of the three cultures, it is apparent that each of the cultures present unique strengths and weaknesses.  It is important to identify these strengths and work towards their optimization and identify the weaknesses and subsequently working on how these weaknesses can be subdued (Shen, 2015). Therefore, a care plan for these cultures intended to foster health maintenance, protection and restoration should focus on dietary modifications and lifestyle modifications. For instance, the three families and the subsequent cultures that they come from means that they face various levels of genetic risk for disease such as diabetes and hypertension. This accentuates the need for health education on these aspects which are intended to ensure optimal health outcomes. One area of health education should be on the intake of healthy foods. There are different meals within the cultural cuisines of these families that could be termed as risky when it comes to disease progress. In as much as these families adhere to their cultures, it is with no doubt that there a hybrid post-modern culture that is developing. There is an increased taste for fast foods and junk among all these cultures. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to consider health education on finding healthy food alternatives within the cultural cuisines of these families. Increased intake of vegetables, fruits and whole grains can go a long way in promoting health outcomes for these families. In addition, it is important to educate the families on the need for regular physical activity in order to secure their health.

In conclusion, it is with no doubt that the cultural heritage assessment tool is an invaluable tool for every healthcare professional. This is because it helps nurses and physicians in understanding the unique cultural needs of each patient and fine-tune care provision in a manner that is congruent with the expectations, wishes and desires of the patient. The Madeleine Leininger’s theory of transcultural care is primarily based on the concept of cultural competence. The use of this tool makes it easy for nurses to translate the underlying concepts of this monumental theory in nursing practice (McFarland & Wehbe-Alamah, 2014).

 

References

Giger, J. N. (2016). Transcultural Nursing-E-Book: Assessment and Intervention. Elsevier Health Sciences.

McFarland, M. R., & Wehbe-Alamah, H. B. (2014). Leininger’s culture care diversity and universality. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Shen, Z. (2015). Cultural competence models and cultural competence assessment instruments in nursing: a literature review. Journal of Transcultural Nursing26(3), 308-321.