Health Perspectives (Cultural Empowerment) Intervention for Diabetic African Americans
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Health Perspectives (Cultural Empowerment) Intervention for Diabetic African Americans
In the U.S. alone, African Americans suffering from type 2 diabetes are estimated to be 13% of the general nation’s population. The data is most likely to be underestimated since most people in the U.S. are considered to have undiagnosed diabetes or prediabetics (Rovner et al., 2015). Studies demonstrate that most African Americans have increased rates of poor glycemic controls and complications. It is attributed to their low literacy of the ailment, increased poverty levels, and limited healthcare facilities access. Furthermore, more than a third of African Americans with diabetes are reported to have hypertension, depression, and arthritis, which worsens the management of diabetes. The majority of African Americans reside in the city, but a common aspect of all African Americans is that they tend to live in groups within common localities. As such, all their lives are significantly impacted by social-cultural elements. Due to this, the identification and implication of any intervention require social-cultural analysis before implementation (Campbell and Egede, 2020). The purpose of this paper aims at describing how a health education program can be implemented in African American communities with people with diabetes among them. It will also consider the existent perceptions, enablers, and nurturers and how they contribute to the program’s development. Finally, the paper will discuss the common challenges during the planning and implementation of health education programs among African Americans.
Health Education Program Approach for the African Americans
African Americans are strongly known to be spiritual individuals who majorly meet in churches and other religious locations, be it in the rural or urban setup (Rhodes et al., 2018). Similarly, most of them tend to live in crowded places with reduced healthcare facilities due to increased poverty levels. As such, conducting an education program in the religious meeting places will be more productive (Rhodes et al., 2018). This can also include other social amenities like football and basketball pitches. This will boost the communal group learning aspect and ensure that more people and all genders receive the necessary education. However, in rural setups, there exist traditions of privacy and belief concerning the stigma of diabetes. This calls for additional incorporation of individual diabetic education sessions through a door to door campaigns. African Americans are more conservative and give more trust to people of their race, especially those living in the rural regions. This culture calls for the utilization of lay health educators (LHE) and lays health advisors (LHA). The initial phase will involve the recruitment of LHE, LHA, and other volunteers trained by certified diabetes educators (Utz et al., 2008). These will later be assigned to specific localities where education programs will be conducted or allowed to do the individual education program. Due to the reduced literacy levels among the groups, the preferred strategies will include the use of role models, problem-solving on diabetic management, hands-on activities, storytelling, involving supportive family members and friends, and a reward scheme to celebrate successful completion, e.g., the award of the completion certificate, pedometer, footcare kit or a nutritious cookbook gift (Lisa Marie, 2018). In most of the sessions, emphasis on religion and how to combine care and religious believes will be emphasized (Rhodes et al., 2018).
This program majorly targets neighborhoods since a colossal population is covered in a short time by group targeting. However, in the rural areas, individuals will be targeted, which will be determined by the number of LHE and LHA who will show up. The perception that communal effort is essential for the care of the ailing individual is a fundamental concept that I would like to reinforce. This will help ensure that everyone takes responsibility in providing that the people among them are receiving treatment, following a healthy diet, and conducting body checks to avoid or manage diabetes. Similarly, the group’s perception of diabetics as being vulnerable and needing regular assistance, especially during self-care and education, is another aspect that requires reinforcement. This helps ensure that the patients are not neglected and are accorded timely and necessary assistance.
The enabler of trust in church-based organizations is vital in ensuring that they receive education and trust all they are taught. This also makes it easier to impact desired healthcare intervention to the group and analyze the progress. Religious leaders also play an excellent role in assuring the importance of the education they receive. Family members, friends, role models, and religious leaders are nurturers who, when fully educated and made to understand the importance of a particular intervention, help in ensuring the success of its implementation. Having these nurtures helps boost the success of the education program and clarifies less-understood protocols (Utz et al., 2008; Watson-Singleton et al., 2019).
Health Perspectives (Cultural Empowerment) Intervention for Diabetic African Americans
The perception that diabetic patients can live independently once they start feeling better is a negative perception that I will try to overcome. This is because diabetes is a terminal ailment that requires careful and continuous management to include communal support. Similarly, it is perceived that spiritual belief on its own can help treat diseases (Rhodes et al., 2018). I plan to overcome this by educating them on the importance of combining education and medication for patients. The cultural aspect of only women being eligible for health education is an aspect I will try to overcome by demonstrating how diabetes affects both genders and the need for communal support. Similarly, I will try to eliminate the belief that education is only for the white race. This will encourage all people to participate in the program. Another cultural idea that needs to be overcome is the belief that only the rich get diabetes and other chronic ailments.
Expected Challenges in Planning and Implementation of the Health Program.
One key challenge is the recruitment of enough LHEs and LHAs. Having more LHEs and LHAs will allow for broader coverage of the target groups and initiate sensitive individual targeting in rural settings. Another challenge is the financing of the programs. A considerable sum of money will be needed, especially in providing support items like food, handbooks, pens, medication, certification, and others to those who attend, considering that most African Americans are not financially stable. This will also include the motivation packages for the selected LHEs, LHAs, and Certified Diabetes Educators. It is also wise to note that the Covid-19 guidelines will limit the number of people receiving the education and call for larger spaes and purchases of other resources, which further raises the expenses.
Conclusion
African American culture gives room for the implementation of diabetes intervention education program. However, there is a need for the involvement of locals who the target group can trust. Their deep roots in religion make it better to apply for the education program easily. The biggest challenge is financial support, which can quickly be resolved by involvement NGOs, applying for grants and governmental support.
References
Campbell, J. A., & Egede, L. E. (2020). Individual-, Community-, and Health System-Level Barriers to Optimal Type 2 Diabetes Care for Inner-City African Americans: An Integrative Review and Model Development. The Diabetes educator, 46(1), 11–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145721719889338
Lisa Marie, P. (2018). Running head: PEN-3 Model Cultural Framework for Health Intervention and Prevention. On J Neur & Br Disord, 1(5).
Rhodes, E. C., Chandrasekar, E. K., Patel, S. A., Narayan, K., Joshua, T. V., Williams, L. B., Marion, L., & Ali, M. K. (2018). Cost-effectiveness of a faith-based lifestyle intervention for diabetes prevention among African Americans: A within-trial analysis. Diabetes research and clinical practice, 146, 85–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2018.09.016
Rovner, B. W., Haller, J. A., Casten, R. J., Murchison, A. P., & Hark, L. A. (2015). Cultural and Cognitive Determinants of Personal Control in Older African Americans with Diabetes. Journal of the National Medical Association, 107(2), 25–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0027-9684(15)30021-3
Utz, S. W., Williams, I. C., Jones, R., Hinton, I., Alexander, G., Yan, G., Moore, C., Blankenship, J., Steeves, R., & Oliver, M. N. (2008). Culturally tailored intervention for rural African Americans with type 2 diabetes. The Diabetes educator, 34(5), 854–865. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145721708323642
Watson-Singleton, N. N., Black, A. R., & Spivey, B. N. (2019). Recommendations for a culturally-responsive mindfulness-based intervention for African Americans. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 34, 132-138.
Health Perspectives (Cultural Empowerment) Intervention for Diabetic African Americans
Question
For this final segment of the SLP, review the article “Development of a Theory-Based (PEN-3 and Health Belief Model), Culturally Relevant Intervention on Cervical Cancer Prevention Among Latina Immigrants Using Intervention Mapping.” Consider this article and everything you have learned throughout the SLP and write a paper that addresses the following:
1. Explain how you would approach a health education program for the cultural group you have written about for your SLP. Support your choices with scholarly references. You should be able to use the information you found in researching your previous SLP papers.
o Would your program be for the person, extended family, or neighborhood?
o What positive perceptions, enablers, and nurturers would you want to reinforce? What negative ones would you want to try to overcome?
o What positive aspects of cultural empowerment would you want to reinforce? What negative ones would you want to try to overcome? What existential ones would you acknowledge but not try to change?
2. What challenges do you foresee in trying to plan and implement health education programs for this cultural group?
Length: 3 pages (excluding the cover page and the reference list).