Cultural Construct Amongst African Americans
James Goggans
Trident University
Instructor: Dr. Maria Luque
MHS502 Cultural Diversity in Health Sciences
8 May 2022
Nutritional Construct
Meaning of food
Food is not just a nutrition element buts a cultural identity and a catalyst for African Americans to connect to their values. Food brings people together and helps them fellowship beyond bloodline relatives. Food always connects the community to the solidarity of enslaved ancestors.
Common foods
The typical food amongst African American families includes mashed potatoes and gravy, red beans and rice, homemade macaroni and cheese, seasoned vegetables, fried chicken, and ice-cold tea. These foods may not be considered healthy, but they are exciting and warm the hearts of many African Americans.
Rituals
African Americans prepare traditional cuisines that embody cultural legacies, making most of their meals flavorful and rich. Most eat three times a day, but lunch and dinner are the most basic meals. In most families, people pray before they eat. They are also required to serve or arrange plates and food in a specific order. Most foods are associated with drinks, The type of food prepared in an event depends on the nature of the event and the guests.
Deficiencies
Vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent among African Americans compared to other ethnic groups. Most young and healthy African Americans fail to attain optimal 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration throughout the year (Ames et al., 2021).
Limitations
Most members of this ethnic group fall short of recommended dietary allowances for Vitamin B-6, Vitamin E, Zinc, and Magnesium. The community also obtains 355 calories from fat and gets 12% from saturated fat. Most of their foods also expose them to lifestyle diseases such as obesity.
Health Promotion
Health promotion activities appear to be modestly working in the African American population. Research shows that African Americans suffer health disparities that increase their vulnerability to disease and death. Culturally appropriate interventions are necessary for closing these gaps and enhancing the outcomes. Health promotional materials and approaches must be culturally appropriate for effective outcomes.
High-Risk Behaviors
Tobacco-Tobacco use is a significant contributor to death among African Americans. African American youth and young adults are significant smokers, although the prevalence is lower than whites and Hispanics. Compared to white Americans, African Americans start smoking at a later age compared to whites. However, African American children are more vulnerable to secondhand smoke than all other ethnic groups and generally have higher cotinine levels than non-smokers of other races.
Alcohol-African Americans engage in risky alcohol consumption behaviors compared to other ethnic communities. Research shows that excessive alcohol consumption among younger adults enhances their vulnerabilities to irresponsible sexual behavior (Mertzger et al., 2018), increasing their chances of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases and infections.
Recreational Drugs
African Americans are overrepresented in substance abuse and recreational drugs in the US. For example, 6.9% of African Americans have substance abuse disorder compared to 7.4% of the total population. In terms of illicit drug disorder, 3.4% of African Americans have the disorder compared to 3% of the total population. It is also reported that African Americans do not always receive rehabilitation treatment when they need it.
Physical Activity
African Americans are less active in physical activities compared to whites. Although physical activity participation has improved slightly, participation is still low and decreases with age. The range of black youth engaging in physical activities ranges from 33% to 52%, while that of black adults ranges between 27% to 52%. Due to their less engagement in physical activity, African Americans are highly vulnerable to lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and obesity.
Safety
African American adults are less likely to report that they feel safe. In healthcare, they distrust healthcare quality and consider alternative healthcare options in illness. About half of the population also report feeling safe when walking alone at night. Due to many dears that may result from discrimination, African Americans take all precautionary measures to maintain their safety.
Death Rituals
Death is a significant rite of passage among African Americans that prepares the deceased’s spirit for the next realm of life. The community prepares well the body of the deceased in preparation for burial. African Americans dress their loved ones respectfully, as an important part of the death rituals. They also wash the body, dress it, and groom the hair (Roberson et al., 2018). The funeral service is taken seriously and can be postponed to ensure all close members attend. It is common to decorate the coffin and the grave.
Bereavement
Flower girls pay special attention to grieving family members. Nurses may be around to help mourners who may be overwhelmed. Africa Americans extend their helping hand to close family members during bereavement. Family members, however, get comfort from the belief that their loved ones are in a safe place and are watching over them.
Spirituality Construct
Religious practices-Christianity is the predominant religion among African Americans. Christianity is a vibrant spiritual and institutional force that African Americans hold dearly. Some religious practices include attending religious services, taking your official roles, reading religious books like the Bible, watching religious programs on TV and listening to the radio, and praying at individual and group levels.
Use of prayer-Prayer is an essential aspect of spiritual and religious fulfillment. Prayer is a ritualistic behavior among African Americans, and they do it often at an individual, family, or even congregation levels. Prayer is used to thank God, change the outcomes of difficult situations, and seek forgiveness. African Americans report that they experience positive emotions when they pray.
Meaning of life-African Americans believes that God is the source of life and that human beings were created with a purpose. Therefore, they adhere to a system of religious beliefs as they find meaning in their lives. African Americans also link religiosity to well-being and believe they cannot live well without integrating religion and spirituality in their lives. They also perceive religion as a source of help in adversity in their lives.
Individual strength
African Americans believe in individual strength, which comes from God. They read the Bible and get inspiration from religious stories to get strength. When they face difficulties, they turn to the church for strength.
Spirituality and Health
African Americans consider the church and spirituality a significant source of hope during illness. When feeling unwell, a lack American uses spirituality to feel the inner strength, resulting in faster recovery. Spirituality is directly linked to patient outcomes such as anxiety, depression, and the quality of life. Patients battling chronic illnesses resort to the church and faith, where they find solace and hope (Holt et al., 2018). Integrating spirituality with medication and therapy is also believed to improve healthcare outcomes.
References
Ames, B. N., Grant, W. B., & Willett, W. C. (2021). Does the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in African Americans contribute to health disparities?. Nutrients, 13(2), 499.
Holt, C. L., Roth, D. L., Huang, J., & Clark, E. M. (2018). Role of religious, social support in longitudinal relationships between religiosity and health-related outcomes in African Americans. Journal of behavioral medicine, 41(1), 62-73.
Metzger, I. W., Salami, T., Carter, S., Halliday-Boykins, C., Anderson, R. E., Jernigan, M. M., & Ritchwood, T. (2018). African American emerging adults’ experiences with racial discrimination and drinking habits: The moderating roles of perceived stress. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 24(4), 489.
Roberson, K., Smith, T., & Davidson, W. (2018). Understanding Death Rituals. International Journal of Childbirth Education, 33(3).
