BlackHistory Month Focus and Health Disparities in the African American Community

Clinical Time: (4hours)

Karla Smith DNP, FNP-BC

MaryAnn Colletti, PhD, RN

Learning Outcomes

The purpose of this clinical assignment is to highlight some of the healthcare issues of African Americans in celebration of Black History Month. This assignment will also address the fact that disparities in health care are strong social determinants of health.

Specifically, students will create a brief document in which they will demonstrate their ability to:

· Identify major health conditions that impact the African American (AA) communities in Chicago.

· Compare and contrast epidemiological data that showcases the differences among different racial and ethnic groups within the city of Chicago and at the state level. Students will also interpret the data about the impact of the CoVID pandemic on the AA population.

· Create a document /pamphlet for teaching about sickle cell disease in the AA community

· Realize that many health-care policies affect African Americans in a negative way

· Appreciate that many African Americans have influenced Public Health in positive ways

· Appreciate that the Resurrection University Library has a variety of educational texts and data bases related to African American history and healthcare in the U.S.

Please answer the following in a brief 2-page paper. Place the questions in BOLD type

1. “The empirical evidence that race and ethnicity influence physicians to make harmful distinctions in how they treat and interact with White patients versus patients of color is overwhelming.” (Matthew, D. in Just Medicine, A Cure for Racial Inequality in American Health care (2015). NY: New York University Press)

a. What do you think this statement means?

b. Have you had any experience that you would discuss or share?

2. Panelists who presented in the “Healthy Chicago 2025 video” noted that there is a significant lifespan difference between African Americans living in Chicago as compared to Caucasians in Chicago.

a. What is the average lifespan of African Americans in the community that you analyzed for Community /Windshield Project? Compare this evidence to other communities assigned to your teams.

b. If we focus on the health condition of sickle cell disease in the AA population, what public health education/promotion is done in the community that you are aware of? As an example of a primary intervention, create a health ed document /pamphlet/fact sheet that could be used in a community forum on sickle cell disease.

3. Researchers noted below have emphasized that racial disparities exist among AA nursing home residents. For example, AA patients are often inappropriately diagnosed with dementia and physical restraint is also deployed with more frequency. Please read the following articles and list three major findings from each:

Rivera –Hernandez, M; Kumar, A.; Epstein-Lubow, G & Thomas, K.S. (2019). Disparities in nursing home use and quality among African American, Hispanic, and White Medicare residents with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Journal of Aging and Health, 31(7), 1259-1277. doi.org/10.1177/0898264318767778.

Shippee, T.P.; Henning-Smith, C., & Rhee, T.G. et.al. (2016). Racial Differences in Minnesota nursing home residents’ quality of life: The importance of looking beyond individual predictors. Journal of Aging and Health, 28(2), 199-224. doi.org/10.1177/0898264315589576.

Following the virtual class presentation with the Res U library staff:

1. Write a paragraph about something new that you learned from the presentation.

2. Who are some African American heroes in the medical field?

3. What are some resources that you learned about for yourself and the families that you will be working with? Please document some of the resources below.