African-American/Black

Patients may believe that illness is the result of natural causes, improper diet and eating habits, exposure to cold air or wind, poor living conditions, and the will of God for improper behavior. Religion, spirituality, and kinship ties may have an important role in your patient’s understanding and treatment of illness. Some African American/black patients believe in superstitions, faith healers, and herbal medicines. In addition, strong religious beliefs (Christian, Islamic) may influence decisions regarding blood/organ donations.

Be aware of terminology that may be used to help improve communication. For example, some patients may call diabetes mellitus "sugar", pain may be called "miseries" and anemia may be referred to as "low blood."

Cultural Competency course 2004

Learning Module text written by Eyal Ben-Isaac

Sources:

1. Tylor 1924 [orig. 1871]

2. The culturally competent pediatrician: Respecting ethnicity in your practice. Lori Taylor, MD, and Lindia J. Willies-Jacobo, MD. Contemporary Pediatrics, June 2003

3. Mexican Cultural profile. Ethnomed, Ethnic medicine information from Harborview

4. Culture Clues: Communicating with your African American Patient. University of Washington Medical Center, Patient and Family Education Services. 2001

5. Los Angeles County Census 2000

6. Culture and Nursing Care, A Pocket Guide. Juliene G. Lipson, Suzanne L. Dibble, and Pamela A. Minarik. School of Nursing, UCSF. University of California, San Francisco, Press.

7. Rosa Linda Guadarrama, M.S., M.B.A.