Events in the history of American healthcare where African Americans have been tested unethically and immorally such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and Henrietta Lacks have contributed African Americans developing feelings of mistrust. The aim of this review is to examine the racial disparities and healthcare mistrust amongst the African American population, and develop nursing recommendations to address disparities. A literature review was completed using CINAHL, JSTOR, PubMed Central, and Google Scholar. The search terms used included, “racial disparity”, "African Americans,” or “black Americans," or “blacks,” “health outcomes,” “health disparities,” “health care inequalities,” “health outcomes,” “medical mistrust,” or “medical distrust.” Supplemental searches included the search terms “ACEs,” and “adverse childhood experiences.” The initial searches had the following inclusion criteria: published within the last five years, peer reviewed, written in the English language, and studies conducted in the United States. The filter “published in the last five years” was removed for searches in finding background and historical information related to the topic. Thirteen articles were retained for review. Structural racism, historical trauma, and adverse childhood experiences are deeply connected with medical mistrust among African Americans. Nurses play a vital role in mitigating healthcare inequities by providing culturally competent care, building a trusting relationship with their clients and approaching care with a  trauma-informed lens. 

Health is recognized as an important aspect of life for everyone in this world. As time passes, the evolution of healthcare has changed dramatically, advancing in treatment methods, technologies, and patient management care. However, with the diverse backgrounds, cultures, and lifestyles of everyone, it is important that patient care must address the needs of the whole person, not just the physical illness; holistic, patient-centered care is essential. The objective of this project is to approach healthcare with a holistic view, with special attention to Christian religious practices. Initial observations have indicated that holistic healthcare, described as a “whole person care,” has two dimensions. First, the emphasis on the whole person (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual being), and the second emphasizes the mind, body, and spirit, with spirituality being the most predominant one coming before the rest. This study will look into how holistic care addressing the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions can be benefited by faith-based approaches incorporated into healthcare. Overall, through exploring its history and how holistic care is defined, this study will demonstrate how holistic care is more than an alternative form of healthcare delivery. It is beneficial to all patients, resulting in a more comprehensive and compassionate care. 

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Maternal health in the United States continues to be significantly influenced by racial disparities, with women of color experiencing disproportionate rates of mistreatment, maternal morbidity, and mortality. These inequities are influenced by structural and social factors, such as racial bias, communication barriers, and lack of access to supportive care. This study explores how women of color navigate their pregnancy and birth experiences, with a specific focus on self-advocacy and the impact of provider relationships and support systems. A qualitative, non-interventional study was conducted with three women of color who shared their experiences throughout their pregnancy and birth. A focus group provided rich, qualitative insights into the barriers and facilitators they faced in advocating for themselves. Four essential themes emerged: Learning to Speak up and Be Heard, The Intersection of Control and Care, Race and Respect, and Finding a Village. Together, these themes highlighted how various factors contribute to a mother’s overall perception of maternal care and birthing experience. Findings suggest that improving maternal outcomes for women of color requires patient-centered practices that are culturally competent, grounded in mutual respect, and supportive of shared decision-making and effective communication. These findings contribute to research examining Black maternal health inequities and emphasize the importance of valuing and hearing women of color's voices throughout their care. The results can support advancements in provider training, community support efforts, and future research targeted at promoting respectful, equitable maternal care. 

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