Native American Wom Health Disparity

The modern American society is best defined by its education. The “American dream” is founded on going to school, getting a good job, and becoming successful. Ironically, the actual native peoples of this country are actually the least likely to attain this dream. The largest obstacle they face is lack of proper education. The standard educational practices being used for the instruction of Native American peoples is not effective. There are many pieces to this road-block, and many solutions. This can be rectified by having more culturally aware teachers and parents, and by teaching the general population more about the Native American cultures.

A history of struggle and isolation from the rest of society has led to the deterioration of Native American cultures and customs and to their rising levels of unemployment, poverty, and crime on reservations. The United States government has had a major role in the coming about of the struggles that persist for Native Americans to this day. As crime and poverty grip the Sioux tribe, they will continue to lose their traditional culture and move farther from who they once were as a people. I will first review how European explorers introduced alcohol to Native American tribes and how this lead to a strong prevalence of alcoholism in the Sioux tribe. Next I will discuss the U.S. government’s use of forced assimilation and boarding schools led to the loss of Native American culture and customs. This led to more anger of the Sioux tribe towards the U.S. government and to outer society as a whole. Third I will analyze the living conditions and complacency felt by the Sioux tribe as seen through the photographs and interviews conducted by journalist Aaron Huey. Lastly, I will assess the efforts taken by the elders and leaders of the Sioux tribe to combat the prevalence of crime on their reservation. The people of the United States and their government have caused many struggles for the Sioux tribe since their existence in America. For these problems to be resolved, the United States needs to take an active role in acknknwoldeging the problem and allocating the necessary resources

The Native American culture is the original culture of the United States. Members of Native American tribes live throughout the country. “There are an estimated 4.9 million persons, in 565 federally recognized tribes who are classified as American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AI), alone or in combination with one or more other designated racial classifications. This demographic group compromises 1.6% of the U.S. population” (Horowitz, 2012). Wisconsin is home to the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), Ojibwa (Chippewa), and the Potawatomi tribes (“American”, 2014). It is important for nurses within this state, as well as any other state, to understand the Native American belief system in order to provide a quality healthcare experience. Nurses are the primary point of contact in the healthcare setting. Client advocacy is one of the nurse’s major roles. Therefore, the nurse should have the highest level of diversity understanding for the cultures within the local region.

Native Americans on the reservations are at socially and economically disadvantage compared to persons who reside in metropolitan cities. Life advancement opportunities and individual accountability for better living standards are almost non-existence in many Native American communities. The environment that is around young adolescents are very

The continuous trauma that they endured has negatively affected the mental health and physical health of the population. Native Americans are at higher risk for depression, physical/sexual abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, and mental health issues (McLeigh, 2010). Native American youth are three times more likely to commit suicide than the average population. Native Americans in general are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression and five times more likely to have alcoholism. Colonization not damaged natives mentally, but also brought harm to their physical health as Europeans brought diseases (measles, chicken pox, smallpox, etc) to America (McLeigh, 2010). In order for this population to be served to treat their many medical and mental health issues brought on by years of trauma, policies must be implemented to help Native Americans specifically. However, the reality is that natives mental health needs are often ignored (Gone, 2004). There have been policies that have attempted to meet the needs, but much more is needed. In the most recent action towards improving mental health services for natives, the Affordable Care Act of 2010 permanently gave authorization to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (Ross, Garfield, Brown, & Raghavan, 2015). This policy will be discussed and analyzed to examine further needs for services in this

Native Americans in the United States have reported to come from many different tribes. American Indians are likely to experience violent crimes at more than twice the rate of all other U.S. residents. The rate of violent crimes committed against Native Americans is substantially higher than any other minority group in the United States. Yet, little or no attention is paid to them. According to information collected by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), American Indians are likely to experience violent crimes at more than twice the rate of all other U.S. residents.

My current research Project focuses on improving physical, social, and psychological health among the indigenous Australians. With active participation in this project i understand indigenous health issues and the causes of morbidity and mortality in indigenous Australians as compared to other Australians. It is important to consider culturally appropriate assessment and intervention focused on indigenous health and well-being. While doing this project i provided emotional support and encourage them to achieve better health outcomes. The regular communication with indigenous Australians I understood the barriers they perceive and opportunities available to them.

Growing up Native American, I champion the issues of our society. Irene Vernon, a professor at Colorado State University who specializes in Native American health put it simply, “We are the sickest racial, ethnic population in the United States. “ Poverty, unemployment, lack of formal education, domestic violence, incarceration, alcoholism, substance abuse, poor health, and even suicide rates all significantly exceed national rates for any ethnic population.

Native American people have a unique struggle in society. This stems from cultural epidemics like drug addiction, alcoholism, poverty, obesity, and rampant suicide, but also systemic racism and cultural lag (Flores 1999; Greenfield, Cocking 2014; Sarche, Spicer 2008;). This is not a critique of culture, just an observation of the condition of the families I have helped serve over the course of this internship. To be “Native” carries with it a slew of stereotypical representations (Gay 2002; Mihesuah 2009). Stereotypes do not represent reality, but they do affect one’s social standing (Gay 2002). More than that, stereotypes alter how individuals view themselves, and limit their ability to become something other than the stereotype (Gay 2002; Mihesuah 2009). And the cycle goes on and on. If Native American children grow up in a closed network, such as a reservation, the reality is brutal (Mihesuah 2009). Drug abuse, domestic abuse, alcoholism, and the like are everywhere. These things that seem so horrible and extraordinary are commonplace and normalized. That doesn’t mean that all Native Americans are addicts or alcoholics—they aren’t, it’s just the prevailing narrative (Mihesuah 2009). Natives are exposed to a very euro-centric cultural perspective of Native Americans, and this is usually in the historical sense (Mihesuah 2009). The dominant culture tells Native children that they exist only in the past, and teaches them that they have limited avenues (Mihesuah 2009;

Around the globe in countries from Australia and New Zealand to South American and North America there is a disparity in the quality of healthcare and life that indigenous people receive compared to their non-indigenous counterparts (Ring & Brown, 2003). Life expectancy for Aboriginals, the indigenous people of Australia is 19-21 years less than non-indigenous life expectancy; 5-7 years for the Maori population in New Zealand; and 5-7 years less for Native Americans in Canada (Ring and Brown, 2003). In the United States American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) live, on average, 4.2 years less than the rest of the population (Indian Health Disparities, 2015).

In addition to the healthcare available to all Americans, Native Americans have been provided health care through the division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services called the Indian Health Service (IHS) (Indian Health, n.d.). The IHS was created for American Indians and Alaskan Natives to aid in the lack of access to care and to offer health care services and oversee various medical programs for their direct needs (Indian Health, n.d.). However, research shows health disparities persist for American Indians and Native Americans compared to other ethnic and racial groups in the U.S. (Grossman, et al 2002).

There are a number of key health aspects that must be reinforced and improved for Indigenous Australians over the following five years. Education is commonly seen to be a major aspect in improving the health of Indigenous individuals. Education has improved over the years with participation rates increasing and a greater percentage of Indigenous people achieving a non-school qualification. In spite of these improvements, education for Indigenous people still remains below the educational level of non-Indigenous individuals (ABS & AIHW 2005). As stated in the 2005 Social Justice Report, “Poor education and literacy are linked to poor health status, and affect the capacity of people to use health information” (Australian Human Rights Commission

This article offers a brief history of the laws governing AI/AN (American Indian/Alaskan Native) health policy, as well as recent trends and contemporary issues. A long history of underfunding of the Indian Health Service (IHS) has led to serious challenges in providing proper care. One law designed to meet these challenges was the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, enacted in 1975. This law authorized AI/AN tribes to take over the management of health programs, carry over funding,. and receive third-party revenue, as well as made them eligible for grants and assisted them with contract support costs. More recently, Medicaid expansion under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) should increase the number of AI/AN individuals eligible for and enrolled in Medicaid. This should result in increased access to health services for the high percentage of AI/AN adults living at or below the federal poverty level in 2009 (20.4%). Still, the problem of inadequate health care persists, as the Indian Health Service (IHS) budget has not kept pace with medical inflation and the increases in AI/AN population. Long-term underfunding of the IHS is a contributing factor to AI/AN health disparities. To bring the IHS budget to an equitable level similar to federal employee health benefits would require approximately an additional $3 billion per year. With a Department of Health and Human Services budget of more than $800 billion per year, this increase

Bridging the divided gap between the Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous societies has always been an intense debate across multiply decades no matter the topic at hand. With incredible access to a wide category of health services today, this is not always the case for remotely rural country and outback towns Australia wide, especially childbearing women acquiring antenatal, birthing and postnatal care. This essay will endeavour to explore health outcomes between Indigenous Australian women with non-Indigenous Australian Women and both their newborns, as well as the impact of health policies that remotely remove childbearing women from their rural communities to give birth. While analysing and exploring the concept of “birthing on country” and how this may relate to aiding in closing the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Women and their newborns, while also considering reflecting on how these topics may impact and reflect my own midwifery practice.

Indigenous health is a vital tool in health care today. The case study is about an indigenous lady who is from a remote community. This case study will define culture shock, transcultural theory. Finally it will states the recommendations that can be acquired to improve the current indigenous health care issue as it can be noted that the indigenous health tends has been deteoriating.