African American Care

[CametoitlateTexan]

Received an assignment today to report on African American health beliefs and practices as they relate to patient care. Anyone have any thoughts on resources or how to provide culturally competent care ?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[TrickieTam]

I am an African (from Africa), and Yes (1) many pregnant women eat dirt. A recent study showed that it was actually healthy to do so. (2) Looking away is practised by many Africans - by directly looking at someone especially older person means disrispectful, rude and lack of shame. Relgion also has some influence: In Islam for example, people talk while looking down and not directly, especially if they are of different gender. I am not sure if this is inflluenced by the individual culture or it is part of the religion. I will verify this once I get further info. Have an open mind when dealing with others.

Yeah, I've heard of the dirt eating of pregnant women. I have a few friends that craved white dirt. They sell it in a few stores here, but you have to drive to the country to get it. I thought it was the weirdest thing when I heard it.

[RN_N_DA_MAKN]

Actually this stuff can be found in my 2 nursing textbooks in the cultural issues chapters. This stuff does not hold true for me, my relatives, and others I have been around.

You're exactly right. During my first semester of nursing school, we were given a handout on some of the differences in culture and almost everything you posted for Black people was on the list.

LIke you, these are not customs I or my family practice.

When we read over the handout, I immediately took issue with the "not very punctual" ideology and with the practice of consulting a witchdoctor (however, in my 27 years, I've learned to pick and choose my battles. No point in trying to change my instructors curriculum, when my time would be better spent on learning how to write a correct care plan :roll).

If I were the patient and the HCP did not make eye contact with me. I would feel as if they didn't really care to treat me and I would request another provider. I could go on and on...

As another member stated, these practices are cultural specific-not race specific. I believe that the standard of care should not be based on race nor dictated by an author or researcher's interpretation or belief.

[RN_N_DA_MAKN]

"You ain't never lied." For those that aren't aware, that's ebonics for you're telling the truth. :rotfl:

ROTFLMAO

[blueyesue]

As a black person, here are some things that are culturally relevant to providing health care to African-Americans.

1. Direct eye contact may be interpreted as rude

2. Person may seek home remedies or witch doctor before seeking professional help

3. Due to matriarchal family structures, person may seek advice from a trusted older female relative before seeking professional help

4. High fat, high sodium diet is commonly consumed. There's a preference for fried foods

5. Personal touch is perfectly acceptable among close friends and relatives, but is offensive among strangers and acquaintances

6. There's a tendency to be present-oriented and take the day as it comes. Person might be late to appointments since punctuality isn't stressed

I will compare these comments to what I have found from living in Africa for 4 1/2 years:

1. That's right. In the African country I was in, looking down shows respect.

2. That's right. I started a clinic, and many were regulars to the witch doctor. That is accepted there. Only they called them "Traditional Healers" (PC) :)

3. That's right. Family structures are matriarchal

4. That's right. While access to fatty foods in certain African countries is limited, many love fried chicken. As do I, and many other white Americans. (It is personal preference I suppose)

5. Not necessarily true in Africa. Many warmly greet you and if they see you they reach out there hand and smile with eagerness and invite you into their home. It is very beautiful and pure.

6. That's right. I can also expand and say that in certain African countries (in fact most) they lack organizational skills as well. That is one reason Africa has such poverty.

I love Africa, and will return soon after I get my ADN. The people are beautiful, as is their land.

The African cultures are extreemly different than the black American. So I imagine as some said before that most comments may not apply. I suppose the writer of that textbook could have been an African though. :)

[SharonH, RN]

6. That's right. I can also expand and say that in certain African countries (in fact most) they lack organizational skills as well. That is one reason Africa has such poverty.

I don't think so.

[blueyesue]

I don't think so.

Well that's fine that you don't think so, but I need more expansion as to why you think what I said isn't true.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Well that's fine that you don't think so, but I need more expansion as to why what I said isn't true.

Out of curiosity, which African countries have you been to?

[blueyesue]

Out of curiosity, which African countries have you been to?

Kenya and Swaziland.

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

It seems to me like the writers of these textbooks may be superimposing african culture onto american black people, and that's pretty silly. There really is not a solid, homogenous "african-american culture"- it differs by region, socioeconomic status, etc. The shared experience of being generalized and stereotyped, (oh boy I feel the soapbox coming on) however, is something all our racial groups have in common.

[wt2001]

Ms. Joseph and Ebony already stated it very well. The direct eye contact and witch doctor thing is completely new to me too. However, I have no doubt that may have been Commuter's experience.

I was told in one of my classes recently that rural Blacks in the South often eat dirt; it's in our culture??? This was news to me also as I, having been raised in the rural South have never participated in this ritual nor have I observed or known anyone who has done it. So beware of what you read.

As a healthcare consumer, the only thing I can add is that you should be careful that in your efforts to be "culturally sensitive" you are not conscending. I see that mistake made sometimes. Good luck on your paper!

Eating dirt is also known as a form of pica. So if this was true in the South if may have been due to a lack of iron. This might be an area where there is not adequate healthcare.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

to clarify, when i say i'm trying to be pc, what i really mean is i'm trying to not offend. i can certainly see how the term "african american" neglects those of haitian, australian, or island descent (or those from other areas.)

.

it's nice to be culturally aware, but it can be taken to extremes. i took report the other day on a "25 year old african american female who does not speak english."

ok, so what language does she speak?

turns out she speaks "whatever language they speak in africa." (lot of latitude there!)

"so," i ask, "she's african?"

"no," was the response. "she's african american. you know (whispered) she's black."

this poor woman was african -- had been on us soil for just long enough to ride from the airport to the er. no english at all. she was african, not african american. on the other hand, the white woman from south africa who moved to the us to marry and had just become a citizen could legitimately be described as "african american" even though her skin is pale as the driven snow!

i guess the black. oxford-educated physician who speaks 7 languages fluently and with a perfect accent is african american as well. he grew up in kenya, was educated in the uk, and had been in the us for 2 years -- with every intention of returning to kenya when he finished his residency.

ruby (english amrican, scottish american, irish american, welsh american, french american, german amrican and native american of the kickapoo tribe)

[SharonH, RN]

it's nice to be culturally aware, but it can be taken to extremes. i took report the other day on a "25 year old african american female who does not speak english."

ok, so what language does she speak?

turns out she speaks "whatever language they speak in africa." (lot of latitude there!)

"so," i ask, "she's african?"

"no," was the response. "she's african american. you know (whispered) she's black."

this poor woman was african -- had been on us soil for just long enough to ride from the airport to the er. no english at all. she was african, not african american. on the other hand, the white woman from south africa who moved to the us to marry and had just become a citizen could legitimately be described as "african american" even though her skin is pale as the driven snow!

i guess the black. oxford-educated physician who speaks 7 languages fluently and with a perfect accent is african american as well. he grew up in kenya, was educated in the uk, and had been in the us for 2 years -- with every intention of returning to kenya when he finished his residency.

ruby (english amrican, scottish american, irish american, welsh american, french american, german amrican and native american of the kickapoo tribe)

i don't know what your point is. the lady in your report was as you described an african immigrant. your co-worker was simply mistaken in describing her as american since it was likely that she was not yet an american citizen.

the white south african is indeed african-american.

the physician you describe would also be african-american assuming he is an american citizen. i don't know how the number of languages he spoke or his perfect accent is relevant.

the term african-american does not necessarily exclude people from haiti or other parts of the caribbean since they too are of african descent, a fact that many people for some reason are not aware of. however most often they are described as haitian-american or jamaican-american or cuban-american, etc.

it's really quite simple i don't know why people try to make it complicated.