By: Faanda Desir NUR 3655—Culture in Nursing Practice Professor: Eddie Cruz, RN MSN BSN HC 0517 Culture and Socio-culture groups 1 Haitians are people who are living in Haiti. Their ancestors were slaves from Africa and were taken to the nation by Spaniards (Laguerre, 2016). In the 1790s, the slaves decided to revolt against the French colonies and they fled to American seaports. The immigrants were very determined to survive in the new land, United States of America. African-Americans are particular ethnic group of Americans who are totally of partially having an ancestry from the Black racial group in Africa. Most of them descended from the enslaved Africans (Fatma et al., 2013). African Americans is the third largest ethnic group in United States of America after White Americans and Latino Americans. History Black-Americans Haitian Heritage African-American history is the part of American history that looks at the African-American or Black American ethnic groups in the United States. According to the United States Census of 1990, there were about 290,000 people who claimed Haitian ancestry. 2 This is the reason why they are called the Haitian Americans (Jackson, Maurice & Jacqueline, 2013). The history of the Black Americans starts when people from West Africa were being taken as slaves to Spanish America in the 17th century. Some of them were freed after the Civil war in 1865. History cont. Black-Americans Haitian Heritage Most African Americans are the descendants of Africans forcibly brought to and held captive in the United States from 1555 to 1865. It was then that the black populace of the island revolted against slavery and there was a panicked exodus. 3 The Haitian American have strong belief in their homeland culture and traditions. They believe that illness are from supernatural origin and they are caused by angry spirits (Laguerre, 2016). A Haitian American family is supposed to provide a niche that would allow their descendants practice cultural continuity. The distinct identity of African-American culture is rooted in the historical experience of the African-American people. The culture is both distinct and enormously influential on American culture as a whole. The Culture of African American people is majorly rooted in the Central and West Africa (Wizdom, 2012). Values and worldview Black-Americans Haitian Heritage Elaborate rituals and ceremonies were a significant part of African Americans' ancestral culture. Many West African societies traditionally believed that spirits dwelled in their surrounding nature. Through the medium of the family, which influences the behaviors of Haitian American family members through the mechanism of socialization. 4 Haitian Americans speak three languages; French, English and Creole. A great number of them speak only Creole. This is a language which developed when the Africans slaves were taken from various places to Caribbean island (Jackson, Maurice & Jacqueline ...

1. By: Faanda Desir
NUR 3655—Culture in Nursing Practice
Professor: Eddie Cruz, RN MSN
BSN HC 0517
Culture and Socio-culture groups
1
Haitians are people who are living in Haiti. Their ancestors
were slaves from Africa and were taken to the nation by
Spaniards (Laguerre, 2016).
In the 1790s, the slaves decided to revolt against the French
colonies and they fled to American seaports.
The immigrants were very determined to survive in the new
land, United States of America.
African-Americans are particular ethnic group of Americans
who are totally of partially having an ancestry from the Black
racial group in Africa.
Most of them descended from the enslaved Africans (Fatma et
al., 2013).
African Americans is the third largest ethnic group in United
States of America after White Americans and Latino Americans.
History
Black-Americans
Haitian Heritage
African-American history is the part of American history that
looks at the African-American or Black American ethnic groups
in the United States.
According to the United States Census of 1990, there were

2. about 290,000 people who claimed Haitian ancestry.
2
This is the reason why they are called the Haitian Americans
(Jackson, Maurice & Jacqueline, 2013).
The history of the Black Americans starts when people from
West Africa were being taken as slaves to Spanish America in
the 17th century.
Some of them were freed after the Civil war in 1865.
History cont.
Black-Americans
Haitian Heritage
Most African Americans are the descendants of Africans
forcibly brought to and held captive in the United States from
1555 to 1865.
It was then that the black populace of the island revolted against
slavery and there was a panicked exodus.
3
The Haitian American have strong belief in their homeland
culture and traditions.
They believe that illness are from supernatural origin and they
are caused by angry spirits (Laguerre, 2016).
A Haitian American family is supposed to provide a niche that
would allow their descendants practice cultural continuity.
The distinct identity of African-American culture is rooted in
the historical experience of the African-American people.
The culture is both distinct and enormously influential on
American culture as a whole.
The Culture of African American people is majorly rooted in the
Central and West Africa (Wizdom, 2012).
Values and worldview
Black-Americans
Haitian Heritage

3. Elaborate rituals and ceremonies were a significant part of
African Americans' ancestral culture. Many West African
societies traditionally believed that spirits dwelled in their
surrounding nature.
Through the medium of the family, which influences the
behaviors of Haitian American family members through the
mechanism of socialization.
4
Haitian Americans speak three languages; French, English and
Creole.
A great number of them speak only Creole.
This is a language which developed when the Africans slaves
were taken from various places to Caribbean island (Jackson,
Maurice & Jacqueline, 2013).
They interacted with each other and with the Europeans.
The hardships African American people passed through during
the time slavery made them have various patterns of language.
This was due to the intentionally mixing of the Africans who
spoke different African languages.
The slave owners were doing this to discourage any form of
communication other than English.
African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is a variety of
the American English language closely associated with the
speech African Americans (Fatma et al., 2013).
Language and communication patterns
Black-Americans
Haitian Heritage
Generations of hardships imposed on the African-American
community created distinctive language patterns.
The term Creole derives from the Portuguese word "crioulo"
meaning an individual of European ancestry who was born and

4. reared abroad.
5
The Haitian arts are strongly rooted with the African traditions
(Laguerre, 2016).
The arts are also influenced with the indigenous Americans and
European aesthetic and religious influences.
Most Haitian American children go through schools of painting
to acquire the skills left by their ancestors.
A cultural explosion done by the Black Arts Movements in
1960s made the African American people come up with their
own culture of attire.
The elements they used to built their own dressing mode come
from both the modern fashion and the West African traditional
clothing
This led to a unique African American traditional style.
Art and other expressive forms
Black-Americans
Haitian Heritage
These festive woven patterns, which exist in numerous
varieties, were originally made by the Ashanti and Ewe peoples
of Ghana and Togo.
Such schools are like the Cap-Haïtien school, which features
depictions of daily life in the city and the Jacmel School, which
reflects the steep mountains and bays of that coastal town.
6
The Haitian American families are supposed to spend their
leisure time within their own families and visit their friends and
relatives in the weekends.
Visitors are supposed to be warmed by offering them food and
drink (Jackson, Maurice & Jacqueline, 2013).
Crime like murder is illegal and a great offence in the society
and its penalty is death.

5. In most cases, the social norms of African American people go
hand in hand with the religious rules.
After every festivals, games, sports, and dances, sacrifices are
supposed to be made.
Their customary laws also back their social norms. This culture
has strongly been built in the foundation of strong moral
consideration.
Norms and rules
Black-Americans
Haitian Heritage
These activities are carried out by the society because they are
seen to be necessary.
Immigrants were able to retain some of their cultural heritage
and develop an awareness of their ethnic legacy.
7
The marital relationships among the urban and rural lower
classes was plasaj.
Plasaj was a traditional common-law applied to all unions in
Haiti (Jackson, Maurice & Jacqueline, 2013).
However, the plasaj arrangement is not recognized by the
United States.
Most Black-American people are very committed in their
relationship.
They practice monogamous patterns in their relationships.
The strong commitment in their romantic relations is propelled
by the trust and respect they have.
Relationship patterns
Black-Americans
Haitian Heritage

6. However, many African American adolescents living in urban
areas have poor access to health care; this, compounded with
sexual risk behaviors.
In Haitian Heritage, man and woman often make an explicit
agreement about their economic relationship at the beginning of
the marriage.
8
Beliefs in health care greatly differ among the Haitian
Americans.
Most immigrants from the rural parts of America usually do not
rely on the physicians but on folk healers (Laguerre, 2016).
On the other hand, the immigrants living in the urban areas rely
on the physicians and other professional health care providers.
African Americans have poor self-rated health (SRH).
Their consumption of fruits and vegetables and involvement in
the physical activities is very low (Wizdom, 2012).
Black-Americans health characteristic and behaviors always
worsen with declining SRH.
Big percentage of their population have chronic health
conditions.
Health behaviors and practices
Black-Americans
Haitian Heritage
Self-reported health is generally accepted as a useful indicator
of individuals’ perceptions of their overall health status.
Those who have not attained legal status in the United States
rely on health care that is readily available to them such as
home remedies and family recommendations.
9
Comparative analysis of the common characteristics
The two groups have a revolutionary history. The African
American people can tell their history during the time of

7. colonies. The same way, Haitian Americans can tell theirs.
Both Black-Americans and Haitian Americans recognize the
importance of religion and tradition in their culture.
In both groups, the artistic culture like paintings, dance,
literature, music among others is greatly observed and practiced
(Wizdom, 2012).
Both Black-Americans and Haitian Americans have history of
slavery. Horrific history of slavery is a tragic thing the two
groups share.
The two groups have a lot of things in common since it is
assumed that their great ancestors were brothers, they were all
Africans.
10
Contrast analysis of the common characteristics
Currently, African American people have lost their culture and
origin due to lot interaction with the White Americans while the
Haitian American have maintained their culture regardless of
their surroundings.
Most African Americans seek medical help or health care from
physicians while most Haitian Americans seek medical
provision from folk healers (Fatma et al., 2013).
Haitian Heritage allows polygamy while most African
Americans respect and have commitment in their marriage
relationships thereby practice monogamy.
Since the Haitians Americans are still in touch with their
tradition, most of them who come from the rural side of the
country do believe in medical professionals and physicians.
11
Differential approaches needed by health care professionals

8. There are major elements that are needed to accurately access
health problems (Laguerre, 2016).
First is the symptoms that are associated with each disorder; are
they acute symptoms, potential drug-related problems or chronic
diseases.
Second specific type of diagnostic criteria. This an be a list of
all possible conditions which can cause sore in the throat or
other condition associated with throat.
The third and most important is the patient's history. The
published medical literature greatly supports the old adage
(Jackson, Maurice & Jacqueline, 2013).
Regardless of profession, the processes taught and used for
identification of clinical problems are almost identical, with
small differences in terminology, focus, and structure.
12
Reference
Jackson, Maurice, and Jacqueline Bacon, eds. African
Americans and the Haitian revolution: selected essays and
historical documents. Routledge, 2013.
Laguerre, Michel S. Diasporic Citizenship: Haitian Americans
in Transnational America. Springer, 2016.
Fatma, Huffman G., et al. "Perceived stress and self-rated
health of Haitian and African Americans with and without Type
2 diabetes." Journal of research in medical sciences: the official
journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences 18.3 (2013):
198.
Hammond, Wizdom Powell. "Taking it like a man: Masculine
role norms as moderators of the racial discrimination–
depressive symptoms association among African American
men." American Journal of Public Health 102.S2 (2012): S232-
S241.