African Americans
It is necessary to make some changes in the assessment instruments so that they can suit different communities and provide culturally competent healthcare (Scholarworks & Hairfield, 2021). This article deals with a cultural adaptation of Leininger’s Semi-structural Inquiry Guide Enabler among the African American people in order to increase the understanding and responsiveness towards their unique health perspectives. Because of the large impact that systematic racism, slavery’s legacy, and disparities in health care have had on how African Americans believe and conduct themselves, this historical background must be addressed. Questions regarding health attitudes formed by the previous events held within the generations are made comprehensive, as well as issues involving distrust in the medical system. Further, spirituality, family dynamics, and socioeconomic variables should also be recognized for their influence on the African American population when formulating healthcare strategies (Stubbe, 2020). Thus, by creating a culturally sensitive guide that creates rapport and encourages clear communication, it also performs treatment in cultural congruence with the diverse African American norms and values regarding healthcare needs. Finally, this adaptation promotes better public health results and also reduces disparities in such a population.
History background assessment is the first very necessary modification of Leininger’s Semi-structural Inquiry Guide that allows for evaluating cultural care and health in African Americans. It is very critical to understand how previous events, such as slavery, segregation, and prejudiced medical procedures, have influenced the community’s views on health (King et al., 2022). Questions have to include the ways that different generations perceive health and also how their previous trauma may influence the perception of medical practices or preventative treatment. To achieve that, healthcare providers ought to discuss the historical sources of health disparities and appreciate the perspectives related to systematic racism. Besides that, spirituality is very important in the lives of many African Americans, and it also has a significant influence on their health decisions. Thus, spirituality should be interrogated regarding sickness coping, faith healing beliefs, and also religious practices in the new handbook. By accepting the fact that spiritual wellness is related to general well-being, healthcare professionals are likely to provide more holistic and also culturally sensitive treatment (Siler et al., 2021). A professional may be very respectful of the various opinions about healing, work alongside religious leaders and also incorporate spiritual practices into treatment plans because of an understanding of the role that religion plays in health.
African American people also value the family and communal elements that are essential components of their strength circles. The new guideline should ask questions about the role played by social and family systems in influencing health decisions. It is also possible to restructure the treatments with an emphasis on some cultural values of African American society: being very cognizant of family relations, fidelity in kinship relationships, and communal support for health results (Cross et al., 2018). This method makes it possible to study the person’s well-being in greater detail and also takes into account a significant factor of social relations within one’s health. Moreover, good cultural adaptation calls for the acknowledgment of the variation in African American culture. Many geographies, various socioeconomic backgrounds, and also various educational levels have been affecting health attitudes and lifestyles (Movsisyan et al., 2021). The revised manual should focus on questions that are associated with both socioeconomic and geographic factors influencing health beliefs. Thus, the recognition of this diversity should help healthcare providers to go beyond the stereotypes and provide more personalized care that is culturally appropriate to each African American patient (Baciu et al., 2019). This approach helps to create a very accommodating and level playing field in the diverse African American community, which has resulted in improved health outcomes and patient satisfaction.
To sum up, if healthcare practitioners aim to provide patient-centered and culturally sensitive care, they should have access to an adjusted Semi-structural Inquiry Guide that can measure cultural care and health among African Americans. This book is based on the historical background, spirituality, family structures, and also diversity among African American people, thus giving a more encompassing view of the factors influencing health beliefs and practices. This is achieved through the emphasis on systemic effects and also prior trauma because efficient communication between the patients and providers requires such focus. Recognizing the role of spirituality ensures a holistic attitude to the treatment, allowing for specifying interventions in connection with culturally and religiously engraved beliefs among African Americans. In addition, realizing the importance of social networks in society or family settings could encourage healthcare providers to incorporate support systems into treatment plans, which would translate to improved health outcomes. The acknowledgment of African American diversity supports the use of personalized treatment that breaks through all stereotypes and thus allows for a more equitable provision in healthcare. However, the revised handbook facilitates bridging cultural gaps and minimizing injustices that affect African American individuals and the community of people.
References
Baciu, A., Negussie, Y., Geller, A., & Weinstein, J. N. (2019). The Root Causes of Health Inequity. National Library of Medicine; National Academies Press (U.S.). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK425845/
Cross, C. J., Taylor, R. J., & Chatters, L. M. (2018). Family Social Support Networks of African American and Black Caribbean Adolescents. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27(9), 2757–2771. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-1116-2
King, C. J., Buckley, B. O., Maheshwari, R., & Griffith, D. M. (2022). Race, Place, And Structural Racism: A Review Of Health And History In Washington, D.C. Health Affairs, 41(2), 273–280. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01805
Movsisyan, A., Arnold, L., Copeland, L., Evans, R., Littlecott, H., Moore, G., O’Cathain, A., Pfadenhauer, L., Segrott, J., & Rehfuess, E. (2021). Adapting evidence-informed population health interventions for new contexts: a scoping review of current practice. Health Research Policy and Systems, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-020-00668-9
Scholarworks, S., & Hairfield, C. (2021). Exploring Cultural Experiences of African American Recipients of Exploring Cultural Experiences of African American Recipients of Healthcare Healthcare. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=12563&context=dissertations
Siler, S., Arora, K., Doyon, K., & Fischer, S. M. (2021). Spirituality and the Illness Experience: Perspectives of African American Older Adults. The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care, 38(6), 618–625. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909120988280
Stubbe, D. E. (2020). Practicing Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility in the Care of Diverse Patients. Focus, 18(1), 49–51. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20190041
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