African American Consumer Behavior

D.D. is a 50-year-old, African American male presenting with a number of anxiety and depressive symptoms. The client reports that he came to counseling for “extra support and someone to talk to.” D.D. has been struggling with mental health issues since he was young. Since the age of 15 he has been hospitalized on and off for “hearing voices.” In the early 1980’s he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and prescribed Risperdal to treat the symptoms. Since then, D.D. has been in a variety of mental health settings, including hospitals, day programs, and outpatient treatment. The client has an extensive alcohol and drug use history that he believes impacted his Schizophrenia. In the early 1980’s the client would use alcohol every day “to avoid the voices,” drinking “anything he could get his hands on.” He was also heavily involved with drugs at that time and regularly used marijuana, PCP, cocaine, and heroine. In 2000, the client was sentenced to eight years in jail for four bank robberies. While in jail, D.D. received mental health treatment and alcohol and drug treatment, which was greatly beneficial. When the client was released from jail in 2008, he was drug and alcohol free and was taken off of Risperdal.

The number of two-parent African American households is dissolving. According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the black family has declined from 80% in 1890 to 39% in 1990. The result of conflict, and warring souls in the African American community, this trend can be stopped and reversed. The African American family must first gain an understanding of what is causing this dissolution, then they can be taught about what principals and skills they must adapt in order to reverse it. Once this is accomplished, the black family must be given opportunities to share this information. By taking these steps, two-parent African American families would once again be prevalent in the United States.

A feeling of affiliation with community and strong interaction with all of its members serve as the basis of the peculiarity of Black community. Membership of community has been always more important to African Americans than the feeling of individualism and competition among its members. Jagers and Mock (1995) have talked about Afro-cultural communalism. This communalism is the tendency of African Americans toward collectivist orientation or the preference for interdependence among people. Students who are driven by this communalistic orientation cannot describe themselves in individualistic terms. In fact, much of their self-identity is grounded in their social concern for, and need to be with, others [3]. Being a member of community young African Americans always relate themselves to it, because as it has been mentioned above, individualism is not a characteristic feature of Black community.

When beginning work with the client, there were a number of apparent differences between her and myself, including age, race, and social class. As previously stated I had to become more culturally competent about working with African American clients before I started seeing the client. Furthermore, I had to become aware of the difficulties that would be present due to our age difference. I made sure to give Betty the opportunity to tell me how situations made her feel, and empathized with her, making sure to help her feel as though I understood even though I was much younger and had not experienced what she had. Additionally, the client and I come from different social classes. I had to make certain that she did not feel judged during our sessions, and provided her with the resources necessary to assist her in overcoming barriers. Sands and Gellis (2011) indicate that African American cultural values and norms derive from a number of situations, which include responses and adaptations to the oppression, poverty, and racism, which made them victims. Knowing and understanding the various differences that I would face working with the client helped to better prepare me for sessions.

Mr. Davis is a 33 year old male who presented to the ED with homicidal ideation with a plan. Mr. Davis states he has a plan to go out in his yard with a machete and kill someone. Per documentation he states, "I'm going out into the yard with my machete and I am afraid I am going to kill someone. I feel really crazy." He states he has these thoughts towards anyone that does him wrong. At the time of the assessment Mr. Davis is asleep, however becomes awaken and 4x oriented by hearing his name called. He has a history of Bipolar. He denies current suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, and visual hallucinations. He does endorse auditory hallucination. Mr. Davis reports hearing several people telling him things. He reports his outpatient provider is DayMark and he usually go there twice a month for his Depakote injections, however has not been there since

Abstract: African American people have a high percentage of obesity compared to other ethnic groups. Social determinants of obesity in African American people include low socioeconomic status, limited access to affordable and healthy food, dietary behavior and food culture, lack of nutrition knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, higher exposure of marketing of less nutritious food and limited access to safe places to physically active. This research was done to see how these social determinants affect the obesity rate in African American people. Different researches were reviewed. The effects of above mentioned social determinants were observed and some recommendations are given in order to minimize the health disparities in low income African

Based on my life experiences, the characteristics described by McNamara and Burns (2009) were essentially consistent with my experiences and perception of the African American culture. One common characteristic is that African Americans are much more likely to live in poverty and poverty stricken areas than White Americans (McNamara & Burns, 2009). What I have learned it is not as simple as African Americans are poorer than White Americans. While the statement is true, it is simplistic. There are many reasons and. causes for the disparity in wealth and income between African Americans and White American. One explanation given by McNamara and Burns (2009) is that African Americans lived in slavery for over two centuries in what is now the United States. This is one cause, but to rely on this as the reason for the disparity is simplistic. Slavery was outlawed only to be replaced by discrimination against African Americans (McNamara & Burns, 2009). While the law changed, the attitudes of people did not. No law can force how a person thinks. The attitudes of White Americans continued to see African Americans are having less rights than White Americans (Williams, n.d.). This was especially true in the South where in the majority of the states slavery was legal (McNamara & Burns, 2009). The attitudes and discrimination are still evident today in all areas of life. The criminal justice system purports to be color blind when it comes to the administration of justice,

T.R. is a 69 year old, Caucasian female with a history of schizophrenia who presented to University Hospital Medical Center Emergency Room under Baker Act for recent suicidal attempt. According to the Baker Act report, she ran out of her retirement facility, trying to be hit by vehicles. She suffered a slight injury to her right ankle, as the slightly slightly hit her in an effort to abruptly stop the vehicle. She verbalized to police officers she wanted to die. She reported that peers in her retirement community learned about her history and had been gossiping about her. She reported increased paranoia due to this. She was hospitalized in the same psychiatric unit two months ago, after she was diagnosed with depression. Patient states the reason she was diagnosed with depression is because her two sons are not willing to talk to her. She states that she is separated and living without her family in an Assisted Living Facility. As per patient and chart review, the patient was born and raised in New Jersey and moved to South Florida. The patient currently lives in a retirement home and had to move several times to the different Assisted Living Facility, due to her paranoia and delusional behavior. She is currently retired and reports that she used to work from home as a home health aide. She has two sons and tries to maintain a good relationship with them, but denies any contact with them. She reports the biggest stressor is basically a relationship with her

Dr. Gentry requested an assessment for Kaitlin Bradley, an 19 year old female who presented to Randolph Hospital ER reporting suicidal ideation, with a plan, and symptoms of psychosis, and homicidal ideation. She stated " I plan to do some stupid shit". Ms. Bradley reports she has had suicidal ideation daily since the age of 10, She reports that in the past two weeks her suicidal ideation has gotten worse. She reports yesterday she was suicidal and reports if she was going to kill herself she would overdose no whatever pills she can get her hands on. Ms. Bradley reported cocaine and marijuana use, which was confirmed in her drug screening. She reports she came to the hospital so she would not harm herself. Ms. Bradley has a history of suicide

The writer met with 5 y/o AAM brought to Sinai Grace by EMS due to suicide attempt drinking and took overdose of pills. The consumer also admits to prior suicide attempt three weeks ago. The consumer live with family and has income. The consumer present with flat affect, depressed, agaited and has limited insight into the need for treatment. The writer ask the consumer about what was going on in his life to make him attempt suicide. The consumer states it was life stressor and report that he was in a car accident a few weeks ago. The consumer admits depression, anxiety, limited insight into the need for treatment and impaired judgment and he has some desire to improve on his current situation. The consumer admits to drinking alcohol daily

Patient is a 35 year old male presenting to the ED involuntarily as petitioned by his cousin due to threatening to shoot himself with a gun. At the time of assessment, patient denies feeling suicidal or having a plan. When confronted about admitting being suicidal and having a plan to nursing staff and TACT, Mr. Crowson stated "He is here because he is going through withdrawals and his mother is lying." The Mr. Crowson reports in the past year he has lost his father. Mr. Crowson reported wanting to receive Methadone from hospital to help with withdrawal symptoms. He expressed feeling body aches, stomach cramps, chills, irritability, angry, and verbally aggressive behavior. Patient refuses to finish full assessment.

The unemployment rate in the African American community is higher than any other group in American society. Institutionalized racism and unequal education opportunities have contributed to the unemployment rate. There are various reasons why the unemployment rate is greater in the African American communities. Consequently, Blacks are attaining higher education at a rate lower than other groups in society, and lack opportunities in the workforce. These are just two of the elements that cause the wealth gap between Blacks and Whites in America’s financial system. African men and women were brought to America for slavery. Once the slaves were freed, they had to find work and enter into the American workforce with little or no education. Therefore, countless Blacks were forced to take lower level jobs in American society. As a result, racism and inequality became institutionalized injustices that widen the wealth gap. Scores of Blacks were denied the opportunity to purchase properties and to attain assets and wealth. The majority of Whites do not know Black people’s reality and financial obstacles because White people do not face housing discrimination or scrutiny in the workplace. White people have benefited from the inequality that minorities face in the United States financial system. According to Hilary Shelton Deputy Director, Washington Bureau, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People “because of affirmative action, fairness is

African Americans lives are getting better. Once the Jim crow era ended passing was almost a thing of the past in the Black Culture. In today’s society Blacks still do not have equal rights as White people but they are working on it. There are a lot more African American doctors, lawyers, dentist, educators, philosophers, police officers and we even have a Black president of the United states. However, racial discrimination is still in full effect. We live in a society where the poor is made fun of, the elderly get treated badly, and women still do not have equal pay. In one way or another we have to pass for something we are not in order to get where we need to be. Whether you have to lie about your sexuality, religion, age, race, and your

Consumerism is the center of American culture. Americans tend to confuse their wants with their needs. With new advances in technology, as well as the help of advertisers, people are provided with easy access to new products that seem essential to their everyday life, even though they have survived this long without them. People cannot live without food, clothing, and shelter. But realistically, according to people's different lifestyles, more than food, clothing, and shelter are needed. Most people need to work to survive. Unless a job is either in their own home, or within walking distance, a means of transportation is needed. Whether it be a vehicle, money for a taxi-cab, or a token for a ride on the subway, money must be spent

a 44 year old Divorced African Male came into Henry Ford Hospital ED as a walk-in and told the HFHS staff that he was having mental health issues he does still struggle with depression and anxiety. The consumer stated that he initially went into the hospital after his brother was shot twice in the head. At that time the client reports that he was placed on Risperdal, while at Kingswood in January, and he became a zombie at that time. He stated that he has been in and of the hospital multiple times since then, and each time, he has been placed on Risperdal and he doesn't feel that his meds were ever adjusted correctly.