American Indians have had health disparities as result of unmet needs and historical traumatic experiences that have lasted over 500 hundred years.1(p99) Since first contact American Indians have been exposed to infectious disease and death2(p19), more importantly, a legacy of genocide, legislated forcible removal, reservation, termination, allotment, and assimilation3. This catastrophic history had led to generational historical traumas and contributes to the worst health in the United States.2 American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) represent 0.9 percent of the United States population4(p3) or 1.9 million AI/AN of 566 federally recognized tribes/nations.5 American Indians/Alaska Natives have significantly higher mortality rates of intentional and unintentional injuries, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease and chronic lower respiratory disease than other American.6 Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2 diabetes/adult onset diabetes) is an epidemic in American Indian and Alaska Natives communities.7 AI/AN have the highest morbidity and mortality rates in the United States.7 American Indian/Alaska Native adults are 2.3 more times likely to be diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus than non-Hispanic Whites.7 More importantly, AI/AN adolescent ages 10-14 are 9 times likely to be diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus than non-Hispanic Whites.7 Type 2 diabetes is high blood glucose levels due to lack of insulin and/or inability to use it efficiently.8 Type 2 diabetes usually affects older adults; 8 however, the incident rate is rising quicker amongst AI/AN youth than non-Hispanic Whites.7 This is foreshadowing of earlier serious complications that will be effecting the AI/AN communitie... ... middle of paper ... ...alth screening and risk classification, self-efficacy, and mental health. The classes provided would provide best practice techniques in a group setting. The group setting would mirror the community approach that is seen in traditional AI/AN communities. It would build on strengths and resources within the community and promote co-learning amongst all community members. In conclusion, the persistent disparities in American Indians and Alaska Natives communities are deeply rooted in historical trauma. To improve the health status of AI/AN there needs more American Indian/Alaska Natives delivery health care to the community. More importantly, tribal leaders and the AI/AN community must participate in raising the health status of the community. It should not take a congressional action to decrease the disparities plaguing the American Indian/Alaska Native communities.
This paper will discuss the Native American culture and briefly review their history, some beliefs and roles in society today. A short description into their culture with References will be used to show how Native Americans have been affected throughout hundreds of years. The trauma this culture endured has created many barriers, yet one often seen today is their extreme problem with the disease of Alcoholism. The Native American culture has gone through endless struggles, which has cost them to lose so much and still continues to impact them today. They are slowly moving back toward getting benefits that should have been available long ago, but in today’s world Native Americans still battle with many barriers not only in society, but in getting appropriate treatment for mental health or addiction issues.
-People of certain races, such as African American, Hispanic, American Indian, and Asian Americans, are more likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes (Type
When early Europeans arrived in the United States more than 500 years ago, they were surprised to see Native Americans recovering from illnesses and injuries that they considered fatal. In many ways, the Indians' herbal remedies were far superior to those known to the new immigrants. But, for the Native Americans, they had no remedies for the "diseases of civilization," or white man's diseases, such as measles and small pox, which would wipe out thousands of them over the next few centuries. Not
Wang, Z., Hoy, W. E., & Si, D. (2010). Incidence of type 2 diabetes in aboriginal australians: An 11-year prospective cohort study. BMC Public Health, 10(1), 487-487. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-487
In this study, past literature and current statistics will provide an explanation for the diabetes health disparity epidemic among the Latino community. There will be another aspect of this disparity in terms of the role of acculturation on Latinos and how this impact the rate one acquires diabetes. Acculturation is the beginning stages of assimilation, rather the way one integrates into the dominant culture. In the case of Latinos, it is adjusting to the American culture. Further, the role of acculturation and cultural lifestyle will be analyzed to validate its role in the high prevalence among the Latino community. After triggers and accu...
Spector, R. E. (2009). Health and illness in the American Indian and Alaska native population. Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness (7th ed.). (pp. 204-228). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Many people believe that Native Americans are a disadvantaged group of individuals in many ways. Culturally, in that many of the cultures of the various tribes across the Americas were taken from them by Europeans and their descendants. Socially, in that they are unlike other minorities in the United States because of their extra-constitutional status; and even medically, stemming from the general belief that Natives are at a higher risk for disease than other ethnicities due to tobacco and alcohol use, especially when used together (Falk, Hiller-Sturmhöfel, & Yi, 2006).
In this essay I am going to write about health issues related to Native American. “Many thousands of years before Christopher Columbus’ ships arrived in the Bahamas, a different group of people discovered America: the nomadic ancestors of modern Native Americans who hiked over a “land bridge” from Asia to Alaska more than 12,000 years ago. In fact, by the time European adventurers arrived in the 15th century A.D., scholars estimate that more than 50 million people were already living in the Americas. Of these, some 10 million lived in the area that would become the United States.” (Stuff, History. "Native American Cultures." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web). 19 Feb. 2016. Native American divided to 10 tribes: the Arctic, the Subarctic, the Northeast, the Southeast, the Plains, the Southwest, the Great Basin, California, the Northwest Coast and the Plateau. Since the sellers came to the United State of America they came from Europe they brought a lot of different diseases with them. That What caused the death of a lot of Native Americans in the first place that would make the Native American so sick and they start to die even before they
Native Americans have endured the lengthiest form of genocide in modern history. While it is not this paper’s purpose to explore the traumas experienced by Native Americans via colonization and more modern policies which perpetuate Native American trauma, it is important to understand that those experiences have direct impact on these communities. Yellow Horse-Brave Heart (1999) reports that the Historical Trauma Response, which is a collection of symptoms that result in members of a group that have experienced trauma, reveals negative health outcomes that include: Increased suicide rates, mental health disorders, somatic complaints without medical merit, and obsession on trauma, guilt, and grief. Poupart (2003) explains that as First Nations
Diabetes mellitus is defined as "a group of diseases characterized by high levels of blood glucose, which result from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both" (2). There are two types of diabetes, one that "occurs when the body produces little or no insulin, and that typically affects children and young adults," and the other, which "typically develops in adults, and occurs when the body does not use insulin effectively", types II diabetes being the most common (3). According to the CDC and the National Center for Health Statistics, "the number of Americans with diabetes in the year 2000 was 17 million or 6.2 percent of the population, as compared to 15.7 million (5.9 percent) in 1998" (4). However, and on average, Hispanic Americans and African Americans are almost twice as likely to have diabetes in comparison to white Americans. In addition, African Americans and Hispanic Americans show a higher incidence of suffering from diabetes related complications including but not limited to eye and kidney disease, amputations, heart disease, heart stroke etc (5).
Many different factors affect the Native American People, in terms of social determinants of health include: access to care, cultural beliefs, high fat diet (mostly carbs/frybread), substance abuse and heritage(trust). Many of the issues faced are preventable with right approach to address their community. In order to gain trust in this community to help them is to use some of their own culture and change small pieces at a time rather than coming with a westernized idea right away and trying to have them forget about their heritage, that is what really stood out to me. With this approach and focusing on the highest risk for mortality or morbidity the problems in their communities can be eradicated and Native Americans can enjoy their heritage and culture but also utilize some other westernized benefits and gain trust of people trying to help them rather than the belief of being
Mandeep Bajaj, M. (2013, January 24). Diabetes in Asian Indians in the United States. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from indoamerican-news.com: http://www.indoamerican-news.com/?p=14157
This research paper is going to study and analyze health related issues among the American Indian and Alaska Native population in the United States. The report will start by presenting an overview of this racial group, and then it will go more into depth about specific health aspects. It will examine concerning chronic diseases, health disparities, smoking- related mortality, the relation between poverty and health problems of the children, the effects of grandparents raising their grandchildren, and suicide. This research paper will conclude by explaining some recommendations for health planning and promotion for American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Studies have shown there has been an increased prevalence of diabetes in the Native American culture. There has been a correlation with the rise of diabetes in American Indians and the Westernization of Native Americans. During Westernization, there was a gradual reduction in native foods. Because of this, Native Americans started incorporating foods that were high in fat and sugar, and low in whole grains and fiber. (Yracheta, Joseph M, MS; Lanaspa, Miguel A, PHD; Le, MyPhuong T, PHD; Abdelmalak, Manal F, MD; Alfonso, Javier, MD., Jun 2015, p. 815). By the 1930s, obesity and diabetes, were more common in the Pima than in other American Indian tribes. (Yracheta, Joseph M, MS; Lanaspa, Miguel A, PHD; Le, MyPhuong T, PHD; Abdelmalak, Manal F, MD; Alfonso, Javier, MD., Jun 2015, p. 816).
The tribes have highest rate of type 2 diabetes 7 times higher than national wide, but African American, Pacific islanders, aboriginal peoples