AFRICAN-AMERICANS

Cherie Jane M. Angwas

BSN IV
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the presentation, we will able to:

• Identify ways which the African-American culture influences African-

American individuals and their health seeking behaviors

• Develop a sensitivity and an understanding for communication differences

evidenced within and across African-American groups to avoid
stereotyping and to provide culturally appropriate nursing care.
 Introduction
In a time when people are seeking to become more culturally aware, it is important to note
distinctions in terminology regarding cultural groups. Some African-American individuals and groups are
encouraging the use of the term Black Americans, whereas others are encouraging the use of the term African-
American. The term African-Americans is used to refer to a cultural heritage that is a combination of African and
American. Also, the term Black Americans is believed to place more focus on biological racial identity than on
cultural heritage.
African-Americans has a greater percentage that are more likely to live in poverty and have lower
educational achievement than other racial groups in the United States (U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of
the Census, 2002). It is plausible to assume that inequalities in income and education underlie many health
disparities in the United States. Population groups that experience the worst health problems are also those that
have highest poverty rates and the least education (U.S. department of Health and Human Services, 2010
Communication
• Language use: Black English
Pronunciation Example: Father “Fatha”, laughing “laughin”, bath “baf”
• Copula deletion of the verb “to be” is a common omission in some environments.
• Eye contact, nodding, and smiling

Health Care Beliefs

• Environmental Hazards, Divine Punishment, and Impaired Social Relationship
• Another belief by some African-Americans is that everything has an opposite.
• Not able to distinguish between physical and mental illness and spiritual problems.
• African-American who share mainstream attitudes about pain may respond to pain
stoically out of a desire to be a perfect client.
Folk Medicine
• Witchcraft, Voodoo, and Magic.
Folk Practitioners
• Old lady or Granny – act as local consultant
• Spiritualist – most prevalent and diverse type of folk practitioner
• Voodoo Priest or Priestess
Death Rituals
Many people believe hat African-Americans are quite expressive at the death of a loved
one, this may not always be the case. Some African-Americans, and particularly those
rural South, have maintained the tradition of keeping the body of the deceased in the
home the evening before the funeral (Campinha-Bacote, 2013).
➢ Natural Practices (such as putting a knife under the bed to cut pain) are
considered to be of no significance or the other health of an individual.
➢ Dysfunctional Health Practices are viewed as harmful from a health
point of view.
➢ Natural Illness occur because a person is affected by natural forces
without adequate protection.
➢ Unnatural Illnesses, which are believed to be the direct result of evil
influences, are much more difficult for the nurse to combat.
THANK YOU!!