Most African Americans currently in the USA originated from Sub-Saharan Africa. Most of them are descendants of the people who were brought to Americ

James Goggans

Trident University

Instructor: Dr. Maria Luque

MHS504 Scholarly Writing in the Health Sciences

24 April 2022

Heritage Overview

Origin

Most African Americans currently in the USA originated from Sub-Saharan Africa. Most of them are descendants of the people who were brought to America as slaves between the 17th and 19th centuries (King, 2020). They initially came into the US as slaves and later revolted before getting recognition as one of the American races.

Residence

Most Black Americans reside in Ney York, Texas, California, Illinois, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, and Louisiana. Texas has the highest population of African Americans, with 14% of the total population being African Americans.

Topography

The African Americans originated from sub-Saharan Africa, a savannah with grasslands and scattered trees region. Most of the region is a vast plateau, and the land area has an altitude of fewer than 500 feet. Majorly in South America, their current residence is characterized by large mountains and a relatively flat interior.

Economics

The labor of African Americans has been foundational and significant to the growth of the economy of America. The original immigrants built the country's infrastructure, producing the most lucrative products, such as tobacco and cotton. Today, African Americans significantly contribute across all industries, including agriculture and service.

Politics

African Americans have made significant strides in American politics. The current congress includes 57 African American representatives, a high increase from 1965. The fifteenth amendment to the country's constitution allowed all male citizens to vote, and African Americans have since become politically active. In 2008, Barack Obama broke history and became the first African American to clinch the presidency in America.

Education

The educational status among African Americans is both a witness of continuous achievement and disparities in the US. The number of African Americans who have studied to advanced levels and got good jobs increased. In 2016, a study revealed that the number of Blacks aged 25 or older who attained a bachelor's or associate degree has risen significantly since 1996. However, there are disparities in terms of the nature of schools, and they also face discrimination in schools.

Occupation

African American workers are employed in various sectors and contribute significantly to the economy of the country. According to research, most of the members of this community occupy office and administrative positions (Pedulla & Pager, 2019). Other occupations with a significant number of blacks include sales, transportation, management, food preparation, and related occupations.

Communication

Dominant Language

The dominant language among African Americans is African American English(Ebonics). The umbrella term refers to the varieties of English that people of African origin speak in the US.

Dialects

There are seven main dialects associated with African Americans: African-American vernacular English, Standard English, Appalachian English, Outer Banks English, Nova Scotian English, Older Africa-American English, and Gullah. The dialects vary linguistically, generationally, stylistically, geographically, and other factors.

Contextual Use

The context or setting plays a significant role in deriving the meaning of words used by African Americans. Some words can only make sense if one understands the context, and other words can be used in one context and not the other.

Volume/Tone

The good pattern among African Americans English contains variations in pitch and volume. Their voices can range from very loud and deep to very quiet. The correctness of the volume and tone depends on the speaking situation.

Spatial Distancing

African Americans are comfortable speaking with less distance between themselves. For this reason, African Americans may not keep a distance between themselves and the people they are speaking with because they do not mind getting close. African American children also tend to stand closer to each other when talking than whites.

Eye Contact

African Americans are believed to make more frequent eye contact when speaking than listening. Their failure to maintain eye contact when listening has led to being labeled as resistant or less interested. The overall amount or length of eye contact is not different from the dominant cultures.

Facial Expressions

African Americans exhibit all the basic facial expressions. They tend to smile more, and Whites may have difficulties telling when they are smiling genuinely and faking.

Greetings

African Americans have several ways of greeting each other. They may nod, grip, or give a dap, especially for males. The up nod is usually used to let the other person know you have seen them, and a grip is used to show a closer connection. Females may shake their hands or hug, depending on the closeness

Temporality

African Americans are present-oriented and are more likely to take short-term measures. Studies indicate that African Americans perceive them to be less susceptible to future consequences and take short-term measures (Purnell & Fenkl, 2019). In healthcare, it is revealed that African Americans are present-oriented regarding the daily management of hypertension.

Time

African Americans may keep time, but they are associated with smaller phase delays than whites. For this reason, they are more likely to delay a meeting. Researchers attribute this to the relationship-oriented nature of African Americans, which makes them more relaxed on this issue. When others are angry for being late, an African American is likely to be puzzled.

Names

Most African Americans use names that are common with the wider American culture. Most of the names are derived from the Bible. Other names have Arabic, French, European, or Muslim origins. Most African Americans have an English name that is usually given at birth and a second name that is more intimate.

Touch

African Americans embrace touch and other forms of physical contact. Friends and family members may hug and kiss each other on the cheek. Colleagues may hug, but it depends on the connectedness between parties. In formal settings, handshakes are more preferred than hugs. Research also shows that blacks touch their children for a longer time and more frequently compared to other cultures.

References

King, S. (2020). From African American vernacular English to African American language: Rethinking the study of race and language in African Americans’ Speech. Annual Review of Linguistics, 6, 285-300.

Pedulla, D. S., & Pager, D. (2019). Race and networks in the job search process. American Sociological Review, 84(6), 983-1012.

Purnell, L. D., & Fenkl, E. A. (2019). People of African American Heritage. In Handbook for Culturally Competent Care (pp. 27-39). Springer, Cham.

Instructor: Dr. Maria Luque

MHS502 Cultural Diversity in Health Sciences

1 May 2022

Family Roles and Organizational Construct

Head of Household

The woman, the mother, heads most African American families. However, a significant number of households are also headed by men.

Gender Roles

There is controversial information about gender roles in African American culture. However, most studies indicate that African American women are more masculine and possess masculine traits. They are documented to be stronger, more independent, and reliable (Noel, 2018). On the other hand, African American men are said to be weaker and more emotional. In terms of occupation, there is a thin line between male and female roles, and the same applies to house duties.

Goals and Priorities

African Americans live for different goals and priorities, including religion, family, and career. Depending on individuals, people may devote most of their time to what they believe is a priority.

Developmental Tasks

African Americans have shown to respect stages of life and have the desire to be able to do certain things at a certain age. They believe there are developmental tasks for adolescents, adults, and even the aged. People also experience developmental crises as they try to adapt to new tasks. For example, African American female adolescents struggle with gender and racial identity development at this stage (Leath et al., 2019).

Roles of aged

African Americans value aged people and believe their wisdom contributes to the well-being of society. Older people also guide raising children and other important issues. They are a valuable source of wisdom to the younger generation too.

Extended Family

Extended family members are recognized, and aunts, uncles, nephews, and others have an immense responsibility in families. The impact of the extended family is more significant in single-parent families because members of the extended family have to ensure that the children and parents are healthy and okay.

Social Status

African Americans hold low social status in American society. The pretax income is the lowest among African Americans in terms of income. The community is also recorded as the least healthy ethnic group.

Alternative Lifestyles

African Americans are quite flexible and easily adapt to the alternative lifestyle in health and social matters. A lot has changed over the past decades, and African Americans no longer live as enslaved people. Today, they have embraced the freedom to move to places they want, leave the normal sexual orientation, diet, family relations, and so on.

Workforce issues construct

Acculturation

African Americans report higher segregation demands compared to other ethnic groups. They are significantly discriminated against and experience overall negative acculturation conditions. They also experience higher levels of work-related stress due to harsh environmental conditions at the workplace. However, most African Americans use assimilation as an acculturation strategy, which often fails due to lack of support.

Autonomy

African Americans show some level of autonomy which has become less significant over time. For example, they would only consume products that have been produced by themselves. African Americans also organized and implemented a series of rebellious activities to fight back the racial segregation from Americans. However, they have embraced the American culture, and their autonomy has been reduced.

Language Barriers

Language is a significant barrier holding African Americans back in American society. A culture that values standard English may not be favorable for blacks who speak African English variations. Language is a significant barrier in healthcare that makes access to healthcare a difficult task among African Americans.

Biocultural Ecology

Biological Variations

Americans exhibit genetic diversity, which results from demographic histories such as changes in the size of the population and environment. The common biological variations among the population include different levels of susceptibility to diseases, response to drugs, and even skin tone.

Skin Color

African Americans have dark and light skin tones depending on genes and other factors. Research shows that African Americans with a light skin tone are preferred and treated better because they are closer to whites than those with a dark skin tone. Their color is also used for identity, and African Americans have learned to be color-conscious to respond to the negative color reactions in social settings.

Heredity

The culture of African Americans is rooted in the blend between European culture and the African cultures of central and west Africa. The culture, however, has been influenced by the American south and other environmental changes.

Genetics

Self-reported genetic ancestry shows that 0.85 have native ancestry, 24.0% have European Ancestry, and 73.2% have African ancestry (Abuabara et al., 2020). Studies also indicate that most of the community members have genetic roots in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola.

Ecology

African Americans value the environment and care about climate change. They are more vulnerable to harsh environmental conditions, so they make efforts to keep the environment as safe as possible. They also belong to environmental groups, but their environmental interests have been omitted.

Pregnancy Construct

Fertility Practices

African Americans are twice as likely to have fertility issues than whites. African Americans consider infertility a taboo issue and do not discuss it openly (Scott et al., 2019). They are also less likely to seek fertility treatment. The obstacles to medical attention make the situation worse for African Americans.

Views toward Pregnancy

The community considers pregnancy as a significant healthcare and community aspect. Pregnant women seek high-quality prenatal care for the well-being of the mother and the baby. They respond to pregnancy in the best way possible and consider the satisfaction of themselves and the baby.

Pregnancy beliefs

A section of African American women believes some foods are harmful to the baby and may not eat them during pregnancy. They may also avoid moving so much and change their daily routine.

Birthing

African American families significantly prepare for birthing and take necessary emotional, physical, and financial preparations. However, research shows that they do not receive high-quality maternal care like their white counterparts (Assari, 2018). African American women are easily dismissed and ignored when they are in labor, which often leads to the death of the mother or the child.

Postpartum

Child-rearing is considered a communal activity among African American families. Children are also considered of central importance in the community and are given maximum attention. African American women are more likely to experience postpartum depression compared to whites. They are also more vulnerable to maternal death.

References

Abuabara, K., You, Y., Margolis, D. J., Hoffmann, T. J., Risch, N., & Jorgenson, E. (2020). Genetic ancestry does not explain increased atopic dermatitis susceptibility or worse disease control among African American subjects in 2 large US cohorts. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 145(1), 192-198.

Assari, S. (2018). Parental education better helps white than black families escape poverty: National survey of children’s health. Economies, 6(2), 30.

Leath, S., Mathews, C., Harrison, A., & Chavous, T. (2019). Racial identity, racial discrimination, and classroom engagement outcomes among Black girls and boys in predominantly Black and predominantly White school districts. American Educational Research Journal, 56(4), 1318-1352.

Noël, R. A. (2018). Race, economics, and social status.

Scott, K. A., Britton, L., & McLemore, M. R. (2019). The ethics of perinatal care for black women: dismantling the structural racism in “mother blame” narratives. The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursing, 33(2), 108-115.

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).