African Americans

By: Iqra Imran, Aubrie McClellan, Jadah Protopapa, Jamilynn Jones, Megan Kidd, Victoria Coppola
African American Population
Overview of African American Culture
● African Americans are the second largest minority population in the US.

Education:

● Before 1954 school systems were segregated and African Americans had limited opportunities. Despite
the unfortunate circumstances African American families place a high value on education.
● 81% of African Americans age 25 and up have a high school diploma. Many African American families
view education as having work security and social mobility.
● There is often a great sacrifice to be made in order to make sure at least one family member attends
college. From there on, each member makes efforts to assist another family member financially so that
they could get a college education as well.
● Although African Americans meet the educational standards, their representation in the health
professions is not held equally, like it should be.

Work:

● Even with the modern day and age, African Americans encounter job discrimination which limits their
career mobility.
● Most working class African Americans do not advance to the higher socioeconomic levels.
● They may be employed in hazardous settings which can result in occupational related illnesses.
 Overview of African American Culture cont.
Communication:

● The dominant language spoken among African Americans is English. It could be referred to as AAE which has
variations of ethnic and social dialect.
● Prejudice can arise due to many people believing that AAE is inferior to Standard American English(SAE).
African Americans can possibly be misinterpreted, or looked down as uneducated, even though the only
difference is the dialect shifts.
● The volume of speech for African Americans is often louder than those in other cultures. Health care
providers should understand that this tone is normal for the patients and it is not them showing anger.
● African Americans speech is very dynamic and expressive, body movements are used, and facial expressions
are demonstrated profoundly. They are comfortable with personal space and using touch as a form of
nonverbal communication. Humor is a tool they may use to release certain feelings such as anger, stress, or
tension. These are all cues that health care providers can get familiar with in order to form a comfortable and
appropriate environment for them and the patient.

Clothing:

● A part of African Americans traditional clothing includes the dashiki. Dashiki are loose and brightly colored
shirts or tunics originating from West Africa as far as the 1970’s.
● The vibrant colors and bold designs symbolize freedom and identity to their African heritage.
● Dashiki is commonly worn with jeans, shorts, skirts, or even worn as a gown. They could also be seen worn
with cowrie necklaces and dreadlocks, which are also traditional styles.
Health Care Practices
● African Americans have a lower life expectancy than
European Americans.
○ 70 yrs compared to 75.9 yrs for men
○ 76.8 yrs compared to 80.8 yrs for women
● In 2018, African Americans were more than 30% more
likely to die from heart disease than non-hispanic whites
● African American men are 40% more likely to have
hypertension than non-hisppanic whites, and black
women more than 60%.
● They are 1.7 times more likely to have a stroke and black
man are 60% more likely to die of a stroke than a white
men.
● African Americans have the highest risk of developing
Type 2 Diabetes in the world.
● Black men are more likely to be smokers than white men,
but black women are less likely than white women to
smoke.
Health Care Practices
● African Americans have the highest death rate
than any other ethnic group in the U.S. for most
cancers, most likely due to late stage screenings.
● They are more likely to die from asthma because
of a lack of education, poverty, inability to see a
doctor, and exposure to secondhand smoke.
● Black women have a higher infant mortality rate
than whites and hispanics.
○ 1.8 times more likely to suffer from
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
○ Mothers are less likely to receive
prenatal care
● 1 in every 13 black or African Americans carry
the sickle cell trait. And 1 in every 365 have the
Sickle Cell Disease.
● Black Americans made up 42% of HIV diagnoses
in 2018, which is a 7% decrease since 2014.
● African Americans may react differently to
certain medications than other ethnic
groups.
● They have more difficulty being prescribed
pain medications than white Americans do.
● Those engaging in high risk health
behaviors may require more effort to
change their ways because of certain
values, attitudes, religion or previous
experiences with the health care system.
● Often times healthcare takes second to
basic needs of the family like food and
shelter.
● Also if a family member becomes ill, they
are more likely to receive care from a
family member than a healthcare
professional.
 Nutrition
● Meaning of food:
○ Eating foods identified with slavery gives African Americans a sense of their
identity and tradition
○ Soul food diet, a southern tradition, has been handed down for generations
○ Soul foods express the need for African Americans to express the feelings of the
soul and to nourish the body and spirit
● Common Food and Preparation:
○ Chitterlings (pig intestines that are fried or boiled), okra, ham, hocks, corn, pork
fat, and sweet potato pies are foods uniquely identified as Southern African
American foods
○ Frying, Barbecuing, and using gravy and sauces is common
○ Typically high in fat, cholesterol, and sodium, animal fat, less fiber and fewer
fruits and vegetables
● Infant feeding methods vary among African American parents
○ May be encouraged by elders to begin feeding solid foods (cereal) at an early age
○ Often believed that formula is “starving” the baby and an infant needs “real food”
to sleep through the night
Nutrition Cont.
Health Promotion:
● Believed that a good appetite indicates good health
● Foods such as milk, vegetables, and meat are referred to as strength foods
● Individuals who are at an ideal body weight are viewed as “not having enough
meat on their bones” indicating they are unhealthy
● Must have extra weight in case of losing weight during sickness
● A common concept is High Blood and Low Blood (referring to blood pressure)
○ High blood is caused by rich foods or red foods
○ Treatment for high blood is to drink vinegar or eat pickles
○ Anemia causes low blood
○ Treatment for low blood is to drink “pot liquor” (the liquid left after a pot of
greens is cooked)
 Family Roles and Organization
● Usually a Matriarchal system= women is the head of the family
● 41% of African American single mother families are living in poverty
○ not uncommon to work two jobs
● Single parents are a social norm and are accepted
○ Single mothers are most common due to the absence of African
American males
○ African American males are usually absent due to high
unemployment rates, low life expectancy, and incarceration.
● Family structure is obviously not the typical. It is subject to change;
therefore they need to be flexible in their family tasks like cooking,
cleaning, childcare, ect.
Family Roles and Organization Cont.
● Most extended family members provide assistance and take
responsibility for the children.
○ 44% of African American children are living with their
grandparents
○ Gender roles and child caring responsibilities vary in each family
due to ethnicity, socioeconomic class, rural versus urban
locations, and education.
● Respect is a strong family value especially towards elders because of
their insight and wisdom
● Religious beliefs vary depending on the household. The majority of
African American families are highly religious compared to other
groups
 Pregnancy and Childbearing Practices
● Typically, African Americans have large families. This is because a large family is viewed as an economic
necessity and so that the parents could depend on their children for support as they age.
● Oral contraceptives may be the most popular choice of birth control among African Americans but those that
are Catholics may want to chose the rhythm method instead. The rhythm method is a form of natural planning
where you track your menstrual history to predict the ovulation periods.
● They also hold different views on abortion. Some are against abortion because of religious and moral beliefs.
Others may oppose it due to cultural or afrocentric beliefs. These differences can delay their health decisions up
to the point where having an abortion would no longer be considered safe.
● Some practices that are considered taboo are taking maternal pictures because it may cause a stillbirth, mothers
reaching over their head because the umbilical cord will wrap around the baby’s neck.
● The postpartum period for African American women can last much longer than expected. They believe that the
mother is at greater risk than the baby in this time so she has to avoid cold air, and get adequate rest. Since the
concern is higher for these women after labor, it is important to be mindful and ensure that they will have a
smooth and healthy experience during and after their pregnancy.
 Spirituality

● African-American religion originated in the regions of ancient Africa (in places like Cush, Punt, and Egypt)
● African-American religion, to a large extent, is a re-worked Christianity that has its own character and style.
○ Roughly eight-in-ten (79%) African Americans self-identify as Christian, (including Baptist or Methodist)
● African American worship involves verbal and physical expression that includes the whole body, expressed in the
form of song and dance, use of metaphor, symbolism, and imagery which appear in the form of blues, rap, and jazz.
● Most African American churches continue to be representative of the spiritual lifestyle by reinforcing the concept
that all things are sacred, animate and inanimate
● Encourage worship in ways including enthusiastic singing, clapping, dancing, and even spirit-possession.
● Because of the distinct cultural characteristics, religious beliefs, values, and practices of African Americans, clinicians
should be alert when African-American patients present with atypical behaviors, and not be so quick to diagnosis or
refer them to a psychiatrist
 Spirituality Cont.

● While most Africans brought to the New World were not Christians when they arrived, many of them and their
descendants embraced Christianity, finding comfort in the Biblical message of spiritual equality and deliverance.
● In post-Civil War America, the church played a role strengthening African American communities and providing key
support to the Civil Rights Movement. (1954)
● A fundamental African spiritual concept is the idea that people live in a religious universe and therefore the whole of a
person’s life is deeply religious. This idea includes the belief that one is connected to past, present, future humankind,
nature, and God.
● Although supernatural and natural causes of diseases are mutually exclusive in many African-American religions, factors
such as deterioration in a patient's condition may lead to reinterpretation of the cause, so that a natural cause is rejected
for a supernatural one.
● African-American ministers often do not hesitate to discuss etiology of diseases with their congregations. Some are
medically informed, whereas others hold to the belief that all forms of diseases, especially mental illnesses, are the result
of sins.
Top Ten Important Things to Remember

1. The nonverbal and verbal communication is presented differently for African Americans, such as the tone, body movements, and using
humor to cope. Providers need to be familiar with these differences to better communicate with their patients.
2. African Americans believe food is to replenish the body and spirit
3. Being an ideal weight is considered unhealthy and being slightly overweight is ideal in case of illness
4. Almost half of African American single mother families are living in poverty. This can relate to inability to see the doctor, lack of
screenings done for certain diseases, not receiving the healthcare they need.
5. Respect is a strong family value in most households due to their family structure not being stable.
6. It is important to educate African Americans on health issues such as asthma, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and diabetes since
these are commonly seen. The more aware they are about possible health concerns, the more likely it is to prevent it.
7. The postpartum period for African American women can last much longer than expected and they may want to take different remedies
so be sure to provide different healthcare routes that would be most comfortable and appropriate for each individual
8. A lot of the common food African Americans indulge in is high in fat, cholesterol, sodium. Their nutrition status should be monitored
if need be, such as when concerned about coronary artery disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and others.
9. African-American ministers often do not hesitate to discuss etiology of diseases with their congregations. Some are medically
informed, whereas others hold to the belief that all forms of diseases, especially mental illnesses, are the result of sins.
10. Because of the distinct cultural characteristics, religious beliefs, values, and practices of African Americans, clinicians should be alert
when African-American patients present with atypical behaviors, and not be so quick to diagnosis or refer them to a psychiatrist
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