Reference no: EM133724693

Problem: Race and Culture in Health Medical Case Study

After reading Case Study, answer the following questions. Be sure to apply course content in your responses. The paper should be written in narrative form with a paragraph separating out the responses.

Case Study:

The number of infants who die before their first birthday is much higher in the United States than in other countries, and for African Americans the rate is nearly twice as high as for White Americans. Even well-educated African American women have birth outcomes worse than White women who have not finished high school. Why? Meet Andrea Jackson, a successful lawyer, executive, and mother. When Andrea was pregnant with her first child, she, like so many others, did her best to ensure a healthy baby; she ate right, exercised, abstained from alcohol and smoking, and received good prenatal care. Yet 2.5 months before her due date, she went into labor unexpectedly. Her newborn weighed less than 3 pounds. Andrea and her husband were devastated. How could this have happened? We know that, in general, health follows wealth; on average, the higher on the socio-economic ladder you are, the lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, infant death, and preterm deliveries. For highly educated African American women like Andrea, the advantages of income and status do make a difference in health, but something else is still in play: racism. There are several issues to consider about this case:

I. How may have Andrea's race and culture played a role in her having a low-birthweight baby?

II. Are there any culture-specific protective factors that may have helped Andrea cope with the racism she has faced?