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Introduction:

In this sociobiography, I reflect on my experiences growing up in a low-income Black community and how it has shaped my understanding of socioeconomic disparity and community health. Despite facing challenges, I developed a passion for nursing and resource management skills that have influenced my personal and professional life. Additionally, I observed the healthcare disparities within my community, including limited access to quality healthcare and higher rates of infectious and non-communicable diseases. The nursing and strive for improved health outcomes in underserved communities.

Growing Up in a Low-Income Black Community:

My childhood in a low-income Black community exposed me to the realities of socioeconomic disparity in a diverse country. Compared to White households, my family had limited income mobility. However, the social interactions within the neighborhood fostered a sense of community and inspired me to pursue a career in nursing. Witnessing the challenges faced by my community motivated improving community health.

SOCS 185 Week 7 Essay Culture and Society

Sociocultural Factors and Health Disparities:

Within my community, there were significant disparities in healthcare accessibility compared to the national average. Sociocultural factors played a crucial role in increasing the vulnerability of community members to both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Infectious diseases such as influenza, chickenpox, tuberculosis, measles, and hepatitis B were more prevalent in the community due to limited access to vaccines, low health literacy, and inadequate health insurance coverage. This resulted in a higher burden of disease in comparison to middle and higher-income neighborhoods.

Moreover, non-communicable diseases were also prevalent in the community, primarily due to risk factors such as tobacco use, binge drinking, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity resulting from limited access to fitness facilities. Growing up in a food desert, where healthy food options were scarce, contributed to an unhealthy diet dominated by fast food consumption. The lack of appropriate and timely preventive healthcare also exposed young individuals to mental health problems, emphasizing the need for improved mental health support within the community.

SOCS 185 Week 7 Essay Culture and Society

Motivation to Pursue Nursing:

The healthcare disparities prevalent in my community served as a catalyst for my passion to pursue a career in nursing. Witnessing the shortage of healthcare professionals and the impact it had on community health outcomes fueled my determination to make a difference. By becoming a nurse, I hoped to contribute to improving access to quality healthcare and promoting health equity in underserved communities like my own.

During my educational journey, I transitioned from attending low-income elementary and middle schools that faced limited public funding to high-income learning institutions. The stark contrast between these two environments left from a low-income background. In my elementary and middle schools, I faced challenges such as larger class sizes, minimal parental involvement, scarce resources, and high dropout rates. In contrast, schools in middle and high-income communities enjoyed more favorable conditions.

Despite these obstacles, my parents instilled in me a strong work ethic and emphasized the importance of graduating with excellent high school grades. Motivated by their encouragement, I dedicated myself to academic success throughout elementary, middle, and high school, in nursing. The disparities in education based on race significantly influenced my social identity in a diverse society. The black culture prevalent in my schooling experience was a rich amalgamation of American, African roots, and European influences.

SOCS 185 Week 7 Essay Culture and Society

As a bicultural individual, navigating between the black society and the white world, I assimilated both cultural trends to enhance my adaptability in the real world. Interacting with my peers, friends, schoolmates, and the community taught me invaluable qualities such as resilience, vitality, ingenuity, toughness, social consciousness, and endurance. I discovered that low-income communities possess a remarkable level of social capital, which enables their members to mitigate the impact of systemic oppression (Averett, 2021). Within m