How do African Cultural Beliefs and Practices Influence Family Involvement in Nursing Care? A Mini-review

BACKGROUND: Considering the pivotal role of family involvement in nursing care, gaining insight into familial relationships, structures and understanding cultural beliefs and practices unique to Africa, is considered essential for improving and expanding family-focused nursing care. AIM: The aim of this mini-review was to summarize and synthesize the evidence of African cultural beliefs and practices, and their influence on family involvement in nursing care to inform nursing practice and future research. METHODS: A targeted literature search on PubMed on September 7, 2025, and guided by the inclusion criteria, returned 38 articles published in English, between 2019 and 2025. The search results were imported into Rayyan for screening, which yielded seven articles from four African countries (Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia) and are suggestive of a scarcity of relevant studies. RESULTS: The synthesis of key findings identified three overarching themes: Interplay of cultural and spiritual factors, Influence of gender roles, and Kinship, family, and social structure . Across the included studies, the perception of illness was embedded in traditional practices and spiritual beliefs, with a preference for traditional medicine, women as primary caregivers in a patriarchal system and caregiving as a familial responsibility. Nurses’ respect for and engagement with cultural practices and families can build collaborative relationships in health and illness. CONCLUSION: This mini-review has highlighted the significance of African culture, cultural beliefs, and practices in informing family engagement in nursing care, and that culture is a key determinant of family roles in nursing care. “Cultural sensitivity” and “culturally-tailored” nursing practices can strengthen nurse–family interactions and address the shortfall which remains in family-focused nursing constructs in Africa.