| African Americans | Hispanics | |
| Demographics |
40.7 million, representing 12.7 percent of the population People aged 18 to 40 form the highest population (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019) |
56.5 million people, representing 17.6 percent of the total United States population The largest age range is people below 18 years (32.1 percent of the Hispanics) |
| Cultural norms |
Value of family ties as portrayed in family gatherings, and celebrations Elder members of the family have a bigger say, and the junior members are expected to obey their superiors |
Importance of family at all levels. Family needs take precedence over individual needs Display of mutual respect Respect for hierarchy; older people command more respect Tend to be very conservative Are a highly congruent group |
| Religious and spiritual beliefs |
Adopted the religious beliefs of their slave masters, as well as those of the native populations Most are Christians, either Catholics or Protestants |
Belief in good and evil spirits Most of them are Christians, Catholics to be particular |
| Primary insurance coverage |
54.4 percent use private health insurance 43.6 percent rely on Medicaid and other public health insurance services (Sohn, 2017) |
47 percent have private insurance cover 19.5 percent are not covered by health insurance (Sohn, 2017) |
| Education |
84.8 percent have at least a high school diploma 20.2 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher |
66 percent have a high school diploma 14.8 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher |
| Medical conditions | Death rates were high for heart diseases, cancer, stroke, asthma, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, and homicide | Health conditions and risk factors include; obesity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, HIV/AIDS, liver disease, and suicide (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019) |
| Outreach | Community education, social support, formulation of policies, and recruitment of African American specialists | Social support, community education, recruitment of Hispanic specialists to address the language barrier issue, and formulation of policies or legislation |
The most prominent similarity between African Americans and Hispanics is that both groups often live in squalor conditions; residential places popularly described as the ghettos. These places are neglected, and have poor social amenities and physical structures. For example, the environment is dirty, and the buildings are dilapidated. Besides, health facilities are few, if any. Secondly, most members of the two groups perform manual jobs, mostly, in industrial plants. They are always exposed to dangerous working conditions that put their health at risk. For instance, they could be exposed to industrial fumes and chemicals. All these factors contribute to the prevalent health conditions and risks, from which these groups suffer.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Both African Americans and the Hispanics attach a lot of importance to their families than they do to their individual selves. The African Americans portray the value of their family ties during celebrations such as weddings and burial ceremonies. On the other hand, the Hispanics are a highly congruent group, where members of extended families commonly live together. It also means that decision-making is influenced by the family, and consequently, the family influences the members’ cultural beliefs, religion, spirituality, and even how members access social amenities (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019). Similarly, African Americans are influenced by their cultural and family values in regard to spirituality and religious beliefs. One other similarity concerns the type of health conditions from which the two groups suffer. Most of the diseases are chronic conditions, which are mainly caused by the environment and lifestyles. The prevalence also indicates that there is no proper management of the diseases while still in the early stages.
The only significant difference between the African Americans and the Hispanics is in the education levels. African Americans have higher literacy levels than the Hispanics. One impediment towards the attainment of higher literacy levels among the Hispanics is language barrier. Most of them speak Spanish at home or with their colleagues and are not very fluent in English. English is the formal language of instruction and communication in the United States, and failure to communicate fluently places the Hispanics at a disadvantage.
Health professionals can address some of the factors to boost the health status of the two minority groups. Firstly, it is crucial to increase the number of health facilities in the neighborhoods inhabited by these minority groups. Subsequently, the number of health professionals also needs to be increased to address the high number of medical conditions among the two populations. However, the intervention efforts need not to be just treatment measures; rather, it is crucial for health professionals to create prevention strategies. Some of them should involve; education of the groups on healthy living, as well as campaigns to inform and create awareness (Noonan, Velasco-Mondragon, & Wagner, 2016). Most of the areas of residence for the Hispanics and African Americans are crowded and have poor sanitation. Seemingly simple programs such as cleaning the neighborhoods could avert detrimental diseases. Obesity cases are high among these groups, and are primarily caused by the unhealthy lifestyles. Therefore, it is crucial for health providers to advise the population to practice healthy eating habits, and to exercise.
Cultural proficiency among healthcare professionals is essential to address conclusively the health needs of the minority groups. As already stated, the minority groups are very congruent, conservative, and value family ties. Positive health outcomes will be possible when healthcare providers target the whole family or older members of the family (Noonan, Velasco-Mondragon, & Wagner, 2016). It will be easier for the young members to listen to their elders because of the high respect they accord to their seniors. For the Hispanics, knowing Spanish is crucial because of the language barriers. Therefore, healthcare professionals from other racial backgrounds need to learn Spanish or work with Spanish professionals.
References
Noonan, A. S., Velasco-Mondragon, H. E., & Wagner, F. A. (2016). Improving the health of African Americans in the USA: an overdue opportunity for social justice. Public Health Reviews , 37 (1), 12.
Sohn, H. (2017). Racial and ethnic disparities in health insurance coverage: dynamics of gaining and losing coverage over the life-course. Population research and policy review , 36 (2), 181-201.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2019). Minority Population Profiles. Office of Minority Health . https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlid=26
