African Americans: State of Health Compared with National Average

African Americans suffer significant health disparities when compared with their non-Black counterparts. According to Chinn, Martin & Redmond (2021), health equity among African Americas has suffered because of institutional and individual racism and discrimination, both in terms of socioeconomic discrimination in employment and education, and also because of healthcare provider discrimination, as providers may give insufficient weight to higher risk factors for this demographic in areas such as heart disease, stroke, and even mental health issues.

This is particularly manifest because of a long history of African American mistrust of the healthcare establishment, perhaps most notably exemplified in the Tuskegee Syphilis study, whereby participants were denied appropriate healthcare treatment for the sexually transmitted disease, against their knowledge, but also as well as statistics which indicate higher postpartum mortality among Black women, up to four times more than their white counterparts (Chinn et al., 2021). African Americans make up approximately 13.3% of the US population, the second most populous minority groups after Hispanics/Latinos (Carnethon et al., 2017). Yet life expectancy of African Americans is measured as 3.4 years shorter than f whites (Carnethon et al., 2017).

Healthcare Disparities

African Americans have significantly higher rates of heart disease and stroke compared with other groups, as well as higher rates of disease factors that contribute to heart disease and stroke such as hypertension and obesity (Carnethon et al., 2017). Mortality from cardiovascular diseases is also higher for African Americans than for whites (Carnethon et al., 2017). Overall, although coronary heart disease has declined overall in the American population, these declines have been smaller in African Americans versus other groups (Carnethon et al., 2017). African Americans are also more apt to experience stroke at younger ages than whites. For example, in the 55 -74 age demographic, African Americans are 1.8 times more likely to experience an intracerebral hemorrhage, although the difference is more negligible at age 75 or older (Carnethon et al., 2017).

African Americans are also twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes than white Americans, particularly at younger age demographics (ages 18-30 years), despite the fact that type 2 diabetes was once predominantly considered a disease of middle age or older patients (Bancks et al., 2017). Once again, obesity...…potential stroke and that being overweight is not a question of vanity, nor is being slightly overweight a sign of heartiness and good health.

On a secondary level, suggesting patients work with a nutritionist to make food selections appropriate for their budgets and taste preferences should likewise be a priority, along with creating a feasible plan for regular visits as necessary to monitor any health conditions. This might include, for lower-income or disabled patients, finding ways to secure transportation for healthcare visits. For patients in an advanced stage of disease, having administrative staff work with patients to ensure necessary medications are supported by the patients insurance policies, and creating care plans that are financially feasible, not simply medically indicated, is critical to ensure follow-through.

Cultural Beliefs and Models

Patients may have dealt with bias among providers before, particularly if they have weight-related issues, and it is essential to establish trust and open communication. Empowering patients with decision-making and information, and offering nonjudgmental compassion is critical. The transcultural nursing model stresses that care is always contextual, and showing compassion for the barriers to health, including stress levels, is vital to ensure appropriate treatment for…