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Hypertension is having measured high blood pressure. A systolic pressure of 140 mm Hg or diastolic pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher. The normal blood pressure is 120 mm Hg/ 80 mm Hg (Cherry, 2017).
Cherry, B., Jacob, S.R. (2017). Contemporary nursing (7th ed). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

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Health disparity refers to the difference in access to healthcare or variance in rates of diseases between socioeconomic and/or geographic in population groups (Cherry, 2017).
Cherry, B., Jacob, S.R. (2017). Contemporary nursing (7th ed). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

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African Americans are more likely to be aware of their hypertension status, more likely to be in treatment, but less likely to to have their hypertension well-controlled compared to whites. They experience greater exposure to health risks, and less access to medical care. On average, communities where many African Americans reside are often plagued with high crime, poor housing quality, poor educational and employment opportunities, and fewer healthcare resources. All these events affect African Americans healthcare beliefs, risking them of a higher chance of developing hypertension.
Cunningham, T. J., Croft, J. B., Liu, Y., Lu, H., Eke, P. I., & Giles, W. H. (2017). Vital Signs: Racial Disparities in Age-Specific Mortality Among Blacks or African Americans — United States, 1999–2015. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 66(17), 444–456. http://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6617e1

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Comparison of Selected Health Characteristic

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Comparison of Selected Health Characteristic

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African Americans have a higher average of blood pressure, stroke, poor health status, and obesity. Although, they do have a lower BMI averagely, the average obese African has a higher BMI than a Caucasian. It is shown they have less time for physical activity than Caucasian, this could also be a factor to hypertension.
Cunningham, T. J., Croft, J. B., Liu, Y., Lu, H., Eke, P. I., & Giles, W. H. (2017). Vital signs: Racial disparities in age-specific mortality among blacks or African Americans—United States, 1999–2015. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 66(17), 444.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5687082/

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According to data, Africans Americans have higher reported incidence of no health insurance. Many different factors attribute to them having no health insurance. A major factor is the high financial cost. As they are between the ages of young adult to middle age adults, being financially stable is quite a problem for most. As insurance can be pretty costly, they are unable to afford the monthly fees. Africans were reported to see the doctor less than Caucasians due to cost.  Increasing the chances of hypertension, as they would be overworked and not updated with their health care check ups.
Cunningham, T. J., Croft, J. B., Liu, Y., Lu, H., Eke, P. I., & Giles, W. H. (2017). Vital signs: Racial disparities in age-specific mortality among blacks or African Americans—United States, 1999–2015. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 66(17), 444.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5687082/

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Possible Causes for Higher Hypertension Based on Data for Africans above 65 years and up.

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Possible Causes for Higher Hypertension Based on Data for Africans above 65 years and up.

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Less time for physical activities, leading to more chances of high blood pressure.

Declining health, accumulative of all negative experience (financially unstable, less knowledge of hypertension) equals higher incidences.

Cunningham, T. J., Croft, J. B., Liu, Y., Lu, H., Eke, P. I., & Giles, W. H. (2017). Vital signs: Racial disparities in age-specific mortality among blacks or African Americans—United States, 1999–2015. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 66(17), 444.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5687082/

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A major problem for African Americans are that they have a higher populations of people with no health insurance. A solution for this problem is finding a job that covers health insurance. It might also be the mindset, as they might think they don't need health insurance as long as they don't do anything too risky. Poor knowledge about hypertension, including medication side effects, patient's health beliefs, and reluctance to change in their lifestyle may contribute to higher incidence. Proper education may encourage the population to get a job that covers health insurance or to spend a bit extra on health insurance. Poor knowledge and commitment to prescribed anti-hypertensive medications is a major barrier to blood pressure control. Common strategies targeted at patients are patient education, self-monitoring approaches, behavioral counseling, and medication adherence.
Ogedegbe, G., Tobin, J. N., Fernandez, S., Gerin, W., Diaz-Gloster, M., Cassells, A., … Ravenell, J. (2014). Counseling African Americans to Control Hypertension (CAATCH) Trial: A Multi-level Intervention to Improve Blood Pressure Control in Hypertensive African Americans. Circulation. Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 2(3), 249–256. http://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.109.849976

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1. Educate African Americans how to monitor their own blood pressure such as home blood pressure monitoring. Possibly due to their old age, they might require assistance, so providing health care assistant (family, friends, hired professional) knowledge about monitoring their blood pressure as well. Monitoring their own blood pressure informs them of their ranges, which could be used for preventative measures to avoid consequences of untreated hypertension. Financially beneficial through less spent on healthcare fees through doctor visits.

2. Educate patients of importance of weight watching due to serious diseases from hypertension (arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, heart attack).

3. Plan a diet or provide knowledge on a healthy lifestyle that considers their health and cultural beliefs (free of cost and easy to access). Also, considering appropriate plans for their age group, including their ROM and nutrient levels.

4. Provide patient education on the importance of health insurance and possible ways to find a health insurance that matches with them (affordability and criterion). The possible diseases and complications that can occur from not having health care check ups. For younger adults and middle age adults, visual representation might be a good aid in getting the point across.