[mesa1979]

This is absolute foolishness!!!!! Please close this discussion.......Unless you are black or "AA" you will never understand.

[sailordave]

What is HTN?

[birdgardner]

Those of us who are not AA should certainly TRY to understand for the sake of our AA patients.

I have HTN (hypertension for you, Dave). That's biology, genetic inheritance. I'm fortunate it's very well controlled because I have the resources and education to take my meds and ask my doctor to adjust them when needed, and I try to eat healthy and exercise so it doesn't get worse.

For many chronic diseases there is an interplay of biology, lifestyle (chosen) and situation (not chosen).The OP comes across as judgmental in dismissing biology. Some of us get a bad hand even when we do things right. But it is true that there are many factors that contribute that are controllable.

So how do nurses educate about those factors, and what understanding do they need working within a culture, or cross-culturally? If you want to get specific about AAs and HTN, what do we need there?

[blueheaven]

I know that where I live (large AA community) the very poor, indigent as well as the "well to do" have problems with HTN. Yes, some ppl may have obesity problems but this does not negate the fact that for some reason HTN is more prevelant in this ethnic group. I know that several of the nursing schools in the area here have done outreach into the community i.e inner city as well as 'burbs to educate people about medications, risk factor change etc. In the lower income areas here many folks depend on food banks, soup kitchens etc. in order to feed themselves as well as their families so choices are very limited to these folks as far as nutrition goes.
Medical care is also limited in the lower income (or no income) demographic.
I know this because I see all these things on an everyday basis and I work in my church's food pantry and soup kitchen when I can.