1. Discuss how racism affects health of racial/ethnic minorities in US. What solutions can we as ARNPs offer? 2 pages

2. Respond to 2 of your classmates. A positive response, just add more information. ½ page each.

Example of response
Wonderful post! You provided great examples of how racism affects health in ethnic/minority groups. I would agree that we as ARNPs need to work harder to help these individuals receive the proper care that they need. I agree with the interventions stated in your post. An example I found on how racism may negatively affect the health of ethnic/minority groups is in a research study done by Culp-Ressler (2014) that shows “black teens who experience racial discrimination in adolescence are more likely to develop stress-related health issues that could put them at risk for chronic diseases later in life…they were more likely to have higher levels of blood pressure, a higher body mass index, and higher levels of stress-related hormones once they turned 20.” These individuals are living their life in constant fear of being segregated. This segregation and other factors cause these individuals to have less access to healthcare when compared to other majority groups, whether it is from fear of seeing a practitioner and speaking up or just less access to education about certain diseases. For example, in my job, we get a variety of different patients from many different cultures. I try to take my time and explain the plan of care to all my patients, treating everyone equally regardless of race or ethnicity. They all deserve the same amount of respect and attention.
In another study done by Culp-Ressler (2014), they found that “thanks to structures of racism and poverty that stretch back for generations, black Americans are still more likely to lack access to surgical and emergency medical care, more likely to patronize hospitals that employ less-experienced staff, and much less likely to receive high-quality primary care.” It is our job to raise awareness for these individuals and provide them with the resources they need to achieve wellness.

Classmate 1 JD
Discuss how racism affects health of racial/ethnic minorities in US. What solutions can ARNPs offer?
Many studies have shown the negative impact of racism on the health of racial and ethnic minorities. A few examples are, hypertension has been associated with race-based discrimination, a greater than 30 percent chance of developing breast cancer has been found in black women who self-reported being a victim of discrimination, and respiratory, chronic cardiovascular, and pain related issues have been linked to everyday discrimination toward Asian Americans (Smedley, 2012). But the scope is far greater than the negative health effects caused by personal or community discrimination faced by individuals.
Institutional racism, involving policies, practices and procedures is deeply ingrained. One study investigating college students applying for jobs, found that white college students with a criminal record were more likely to get a call back than African American college students without a criminal record (Williams, Neighbors , & Jackson, 2003). This type of inequality in the job market plays a part in enforcing residential segregation, or structural racism. A disproportionate number of racial and ethnic minorities live in poor neighborhoods, with all the inequalities that entails, including poor quality of education and access to support services. This keeps the cycle of poverty going. Low income-neighborhoods lack many of the facilities that are common in wealthier areas, such as full service grocery stores, access to healthcare, safe green areas, and libraries. High crime, environmental toxins, and overcrowding further impact the health of those in low-income neighborhoods (Smedley, 2012) and is not tolerated by those with a louder political voice, in higher income neighborhoods.
Advance practice nurses can offer solutions locally and nationally. At the bedside level they must be aware of the unique issues of the minorities they serve, and provide culturally competent care. They can make themselves aware of available local programs and how to access them. At the national level, they can advocate for minorities, by raising media and legislators’ awareness and play a part in setting the national agenda (De Chesnay & Anderson, 2012).
References
De Chesnay, M., & Anderson, B. (Eds.). (2012). Caring for the vulnerable (3rd ed.) Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning
Smedley, B. (2012). The lived experience of race and its health consequences. American Journal of Publc Health, 933-935.
Williams, D., Neighbors , H., & Jackson, J. (2003). Racial/ethnic discrimination and health: Findings from community studies.American Journal of Public Health, 200-208.

Classmate 2 FL
Discuss how racism affects health of racial/ethnic minorities in US. What solutions can we as ARNPs offer?
At the present time in the United States the nation seems somewhat divided and differing of opinions is essentially the root cause. The United States healthcare system has made some historical advances in the past decade with the adoption of Universal health care and state legislators granting Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNP) more independence. Unfortunately even with these healthcare advances there are a large number of racial/ethnic minorities who lack adequate health care resources.
Greater than a third of the US population reported belonging to a racial or ethnic minority group in the 2010 US Census. Alarmingly, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Minority Health and Health Equity find that racial and ethnic populations suffer lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, and higher rates of disability and preventable diseases than non-minorities. Black Americans bear the most serious burden, according to statistics in the CDC’s first Health Disparities and Inequalities Report (2011), which analyzes the factors creating higher disease burden for some populations that rob them of a healthy life.
Hall and Fields (2013) advocate for “positive profiling” to address and prevent racial health disparities and inequities. They recommend nurses use evidence to remove obstacles to care and implement strategies to avoid the potential for subtle racism that results in delays in care, reduced referrals, or suboptimal treatment. They boldly address the difficulty admitting racism exists in our workplaces and care settings, pointing out that the majority of nurses are white, and that racism perpetuated by whites is more prevalent than that of any other people of color.
With Nurse Practitioners being at the forefront of patient care they can certainly have a tremendous influence on racism in health care. Being involved in legislation can aid ARNPs into changing laws that do not favor minorities in healthcare. Not only, but also ARNPs can educate minority groups on recent published guidelines to help them find resources and how to manage their medical issues. Overall, this unfavorable aspect of the U.S healthcare system will need the attention and efforts of providers from all disciplines to overcome this issue.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Health Disparities and Inequalities Report— United Sates, 2011. 60(3):1-116.
Hall, J. Fields, B. Continuing the conversation in nursing on race and racism. Nurse Outlook. 61(3):164-73.
Paul-Emile, K. (2012). Patients’ racial preferences and the medical culture of accommodation. UCLA Law Review. 60(4):462-504.