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Hatcherson J. Nose of dog, eye of elk, and wolf's liver: exploring the interconnectedness of Indigenous health and foraging among the Dukha reindeer herders of Mongolia. Int J Circumpolar Health 2024; 83:2343454. [PMID: 38634711 PMCID: PMC11028006 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2024.2343454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent studies show that Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of Indigenous Peoples' food systems and the transfer of that knowledge to their children are critical to physical and mental health, promote the transfer of language and culture, and further resilience. The aim of this exploratory, medical ecological study was to document TEK about foraging and plant use among the Dukha, a small, semi-nomadic reindeer herding community in Northern Mongolia. Field research was conducted at multiple remote camps in 2019 and 2023. Methods included semi-structured, open-ended interviews (N = 16), photo identification, and participant observation (N = 34 families). Study Informants identified 27 foraged plants. Results placed Dukha foraging practices within a framework illustrating the interconnectedness of their worldview and cultural norms, including the physical and spiritual aspects of the landscape, with health, illness, and curing. Dukha curative knowledge of the flora aligns with both Traditional Mongolian Medicine (TMM) and scientific studies on healing and preventative care. Through foraging and plant use, the Dukha balance relationships with the land and spirits, benefit from better nutrition and physical activity, utilise healing qualities of indigenous flora, and foster the intergenerational transfer of language and traditional knowledge.
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Poirier BF, Soares G, Neufeld HT, Hedges J, Sethi S, Jamieson L. Conceptualising the relationships between food sovereignty, food security and oral health among global Indigenous Communities: a scoping review. Public Health Nutr 2024; 27:e147. [PMID: 38804085 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980024001198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Invasive colonial influences and continuing neoliberal policies have a detrimental impact on Land, health, food and culture for Indigenous Communities. Food security and sovereignty have significant impacts on Indigenous well-being and, specifically, oral health. Aspects relating to food security, such as availability of nutritious foods, are a common risk factor of oral diseases. This scoping review aimed to collate existing evidence regarding the relationship between food sovereignty and/or food security and oral health for Indigenous Communities, globally. DESIGN Four databases were searched using keywords related to 'Food security' or 'Food sovereignty,' 'Indigenous Peoples' and 'Oral health.' Duplicates were removed, and two independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts to identify articles for full-text review. Extracted data were summarised narratively, presenting a conceptual model which illustrates the findings and relationships between food security and/or food sovereignty and oral health. RESULTS The search identified 369 articles, with forty-one suitable for full-text review and a final nine that met inclusion criteria. The impact of food security and food sovereignty on oral health was discussed across different populations and sample sizes, ranging from eighteen Kichwa families in Brazil to 533 First Nations and Metis households in Canada. Pathways of influence between food sovereignty and/or food security are explored clinically, quantitatively and qualitatively across oral health outcomes, including early childhood caries, dental caries and oral health-related quality of life for Indigenous Communities. CONCLUSIONS Innovative strategies underpinned by concepts of Indigenous food sovereignty are needed to promote oral health equity for Indigenous Communities. The nexus between oral health and Indigenous food sovereignty remains largely unexplored, but has immense potential for empowering Indigenous rights to self-determination of health that honour Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Faye Poirier
- Indigenous Oral Health Unit, Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide5000, Australia
| | - Gustavo Soares
- Indigenous Oral Health Unit, Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide5000, Australia
| | - Hannah Tait Neufeld
- School of Public Health Sciences, The University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ONN2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Joanne Hedges
- Indigenous Oral Health Unit, Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide5000, Australia
| | - Sneha Sethi
- Indigenous Oral Health Unit, Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide5000, Australia
| | - Lisa Jamieson
- Indigenous Oral Health Unit, Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide5000, Australia
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Erdrich J, Cordova-Marks FM, Carson WO, Bea JW, Montfort WR, Thomson CA. Health Behavior Change Intervention Preferences Expressed by American Indian Cancer Survivors From a Southwest Tribal Community: Semistructured Interview Study. JMIR Form Res 2024; 8:e51669. [PMID: 38536214 PMCID: PMC11007609 DOI: 10.2196/51669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While many factors, including social determinants of health, affect cancer mortality, one modifiable risk factor that may contribute to cancer disparities is obesity. The prevalence of obesity in the American Indian/Alaska Native population is 48.1% per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The overall cancer mortality for the American Indian/Alaska Native population is 18% higher than the White population as reported by the American Cancer Society. Interventions tailored to American Indian/Alaska Native communities that promote healthy lifestyle behaviors after cancer diagnosis and prior to cancer surgery (prehab) might improve cancer outcomes for this population. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study is to characterize the lifestyle behaviors of San Carlos Apache cancer survivors and identify preferences for the adaption of a prehab intervention. METHODS Semistructured interviews and validated questionnaires were completed with San Carlos Apache cancer survivors (N=4), exploring their viewpoints on healthy lifestyle and cancer risk and preferences for program development. A thematic content analysis was conducted. RESULTS Participants had an average BMI of 31 kg/m2 and walked 53 minutes daily. The majority of participants reported a high willingness to change eating habits (n=3, 75%). All 4 reported willingness to participate in a diet and exercise program. Important themes and subthemes were identified: (1) cancer is perceived as a serious health condition in the community (N=4, 100%); (2) environmental exposures are perceived as cancer-causing threats (n=3, 75%); (3) healthy diet, exercise, and avoiding harmful substances are perceived as mitigating cancer risk (n=3, 75%); (4) barriers to healthy habits include distance to affordable groceries (n=3, 75%) and lack of transportation (n=2, 50%); (5) there is high interest in a prehab program geared toward patients with cancer (N=4, 100%); and (6) standard monitoring practiced in published prehab programs showed early acceptability with participants (N=4, 100%). CONCLUSIONS Collaboration with tribal partners provided important insight that can help inform the adaptation of a culturally appropriate prehab program for San Carlos Apache patients diagnosed with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Erdrich
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Felina M Cordova-Marks
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - William O Carson
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Jennifer W Bea
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - William R Montfort
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Cynthia A Thomson
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
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Galbraith ED, Barrington-Leigh C, Miñarro S, Álvarez-Fernández S, Attoh EMNAN, Benyei P, Calvet-Mir L, Carmona R, Chakauya R, Chen Z, Chengula F, Fernández-Llamazares Á, García-del-Amo D, Glauser M, Huanca T, Izquierdo AE, Junqueira AB, Lanker M, Li X, Mariel J, Miara MD, Porcher V, Porcuna-Ferrer A, Schlingmann A, Seidler R, Shrestha UB, Singh P, Torrents-Ticó M, Ulambayar T, Wu R, Reyes-García V. High life satisfaction reported among small-scale societies with low incomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2311703121. [PMID: 38315863 PMCID: PMC10873637 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311703121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Global polls have shown that people in high-income countries generally report being more satisfied with their lives than people in low-income countries. The persistence of this correlation, and its similarity to correlations between income and life satisfaction within countries, could lead to the impression that high levels of life satisfaction can only be achieved in wealthy societies. However, global polls have typically overlooked small-scale, nonindustrialized societies, which can provide an alternative test of the consistency of this relationship. Here, we present results from a survey of 2,966 members of Indigenous Peoples and local communities among 19 globally distributed sites. We find that high average levels of life satisfaction, comparable to those of wealthy countries, are reported for numerous populations that have very low monetary incomes. Our results are consistent with the notion that human societies can support very satisfying lives for their members without necessarily requiring high degrees of monetary wealth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric D. Galbraith
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona08193, Spain
- ICREA, Barcelona08010, Spain
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, McGill University, Montréal, QCH3A0E8, Canada
| | - Christopher Barrington-Leigh
- Department of Equity, Ethics, and Policy, School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Montréal, QCH3A 1G1, Canada
- Bieler School of Environment, McGill University, Montréal, QCH3A 2A7, Canada
| | - Sara Miñarro
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona08193, Spain
| | - Santiago Álvarez-Fernández
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona08193, Spain
| | - Emmanuel M. N. A. N. Attoh
- Water Systems and Global Change Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6700 HB, Netherlands
- International Water Management Institute, Colombo10120, Sri Lanka
| | - Petra Benyei
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona08193, Spain
- Instituto de Economía, Geografía y Demografía, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid28037, Spain
| | - Laura Calvet-Mir
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona08193, Spain
- Institut Metròpoli, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona08193, Spain
| | - Rosario Carmona
- Center for Integrated Disaster Risk Management, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago8331150, Chile
| | - Rumbidzayi Chakauya
- College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of South Africa, Florida, 1710Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, HelsinkiFI-00014, Finland
| | - Fasco Chengula
- Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam16103, Tanzania
| | - Álvaro Fernández-Llamazares
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona08193, Spain
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, University of Helsinki, HelsinkiFI-00014, Finland
| | - David García-del-Amo
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona08193, Spain
| | | | - Tomas Huanca
- Boliviano de Investigación y de Desarrollo Socio Integral, San Borja, Bolivia
| | - Andrea E. Izquierdo
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba5000, Argentina
| | - André B. Junqueira
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona08193, Spain
| | - Marisa Lanker
- The Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI53706
| | - Xiaoyue Li
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona08193, Spain
| | - Juliette Mariel
- Centre de coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Unité Mixte de Recherche Savoirs-Environnement-Sociétés (UMR SENS), Montpellier34398, France
| | - Mohamed D. Miara
- Department of Nature and Life Sciences, Ibn Khaldoun University, Tiaret14000, Algeria
- Laboratory of Agro-Biotechnology and Nutrition Research in Semi-Arid Areas, Ibn Khaldoun University, Tiaret14000, Algeria
| | - Vincent Porcher
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona08193, Spain
| | - Anna Porcuna-Ferrer
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona08193, Spain
- Centre de coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Unité Mixte de Recherche Savoirs-Environnement-Sociétés (UMR SENS), Montpellier34398, France
| | - Anna Schlingmann
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona08193, Spain
| | - Reinmar Seidler
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA02215
| | | | - Priyatma Singh
- School of Science and Technology, University of Fiji, Saweni, Lautoka, Fiji
| | - Miquel Torrents-Ticó
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, University of Helsinki, HelsinkiFI-00014, Finland
- Global Change and Conservation, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, HelsinkiFI-00014, Finland
| | - Tungalag Ulambayar
- Zoological Society of London, Mongolia Representative Office, Ulaanbaatar14201, Mongolia
| | - Rihan Wu
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Peking University, Beijing100871, China
- Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research, Oslo0155, Norway
| | - Victoria Reyes-García
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona08193, Spain
- ICREA, Barcelona08010, Spain
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McKinley CE. "We have to … work for wholeness no matter what": Family and culture promoting wellness, resilience, and transcendence. Transcult Psychiatry 2024:13634615241227690. [PMID: 38327166 DOI: 10.1177/13634615241227690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Sociocultural, mental, behavioral, and physical factors are interrelated associates of chronic health conditions-such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease-all of which are disproportionally high and drive much of the mortality and morbidity for Indigenous peoples. Indigenous worldviews conceptualize health holistically, with inseparability across social, spiritual, cultural, familial, mental, behavioral, physical, and social dimensions of wellness. Food, family, and culture are fundamental to Indigenous wellness. The purpose of this article is to use the Framework of Historical Oppression, Resilience, and Transcendence (FHORT) conceptualization of relational wellness to honor urban and rural U.S. Indigenous perspectives that highlight the intersections of family, culture, physical health, spiritual, and mental health to promote resilience and wellness. This research focused on interconnections between wellness, culture, health, and family. Thirty-one critical ethnographic interviews used a life-history approach with methodology following an Indigenous toolkit for ethical and culturally sensitive research strategies, such as building upon cultural strengths, engaging in long-term, relational commitments with communities, incorporating storytelling and oral history traditions, centering Indigenous methodologies and preferences, working with cultural insiders, and prioritizing the perspectives of Indigenous peoples. Emergent themes included: (a) roots of Indigenous wellness: cultural values promoting balance and connection; (b) practicing resilience: family transmission of health information; and (c) wholistic mental wellness and resilience, with the subtheme culture and wellness. Interventions can be developed in collaboration with tribes for optimum efficacy and cultural relevancy and can approach wellness holistically in culturally relevant ways that center foodways, culture, family, and spirituality.
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McKinley CE. "Take care of your families, take care of one another": Indigenist families and foodways. FAMILY RELATIONS 2023; 72:2371-2389. [PMID: 38213776 PMCID: PMC10782928 DOI: 10.1111/fare.12864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Objective The purpose of this research was to examine how families and foodways have evolved over time and how they may present promising promotive factors for resilience, health, and wellness. Background Because food is central to family, social relationships, and healthy living, Indigenist foodways may promote family resilience and offset inequities. Method Pragmatic horizon analysis of data drawn from 31 critical ethnographic interviews on food and family in the Southeast and Northwest, including both urban and rural reservation tribal contexts, resulted in emergent themes related to food and families. Results Themes included (a) foodways fostering family connectedness: "The fresh vegetable is how I remember my grandpa"; (b) tight-knit extended families and communities: "The community where I grew up … everybody knew each other, so everybody … pitched in"; (c) family and community celebrations nurturing cohesion: "The family I have, I can always count on. I can trust each one of them"; and (d) families fostering healing: "Sit down and talk to somebody … that you can trust." Conclusion Participants explained how foodways promoted family resilience by bringing families and communities together. Indigenist foodways fostered continuity and healing through food preparation and processing and through feasts and gatherings. Implications Foodways were described as fundamental to family resilience and community connectedness. Subsistence fostered exercise, eating locally sourced foods, and family resilience. Interventions are needed to promote Indigenist foodway sovereignty while first understanding how culture, history, and food inform wellness and community well-being.
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Malli A, Monteith H, Hiscock EC, Smith EV, Fairman K, Galloway T, Mashford-Pringle A. Impacts of colonization on Indigenous food systems in Canada and the United States: a scoping review. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2105. [PMID: 37885000 PMCID: PMC10601184 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16997-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Indigenous populations in Canada and the United States (US) have maintained reciprocal relationships with nature, grounded in respect for and stewardship of the environment; however, disconnection from traditional food systems has generated a plethora of physical and mental health challenges for communities. Indigenous food sovereignty including control of lands were found to be factors contributing to these concerns. Therefore, our aim was to conduct a scoping review of the peer-reviewed literature to describe Indigenous disconnection from Indigenous food systems (IFS) in Canada and the US. METHODS Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-SR) and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, we searched MEDLINE, SCOPUS, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, Sociological Abstracts, and Bibliography of Native North Americans. Data was extracted from 41 studies and a narrative review completed based on study themes. RESULTS The overarching theme identified in the included studies was the impact of colonization on IFS. Four sub-themes emerged as causes for Indigenous disconnection from traditional food systems, including: climate change; capitalism; legal change; and socio-cultural change. These sub-themes highlight the multiple ways in which colonization has impacted Indigenous food systems in Canada and the US and important areas for transformation. CONCLUSIONS Efforts to reconnect Indigenous knowledge and values systems with future food systems are essential for planetary health and sustainable development. Traditional knowledge sharing must foreground authentic Indigenous inclusion within policymaking.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Malli
- Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - H Monteith
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - E C Hiscock
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 500 University Avenue Suite 160, Toronto, ON, M5G 1V7, Canada
| | - E V Smith
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Waakebiness Institute for Indigenous Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada
| | - K Fairman
- Institute for Circumpolar Health Research, 3506 MacDonald Drive, Yellowknife, NT, X1A 2H1, Canada
| | - T Galloway
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - A Mashford-Pringle
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Waakebiness Institute for Indigenous Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada.
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Wispelwey B, Tanous O, Asi Y, Hammoudeh W, Mills D. Because its power remains naturalized: introducing the settler colonial determinants of health. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1137428. [PMID: 37533522 PMCID: PMC10393129 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1137428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Indigenous people suffer earlier death and more frequent and severe disease than their settler counterparts, a remarkably persistent reality over time, across settler colonized geographies, and despite their ongoing resistance to elimination. Although these health inequities are well-known, they have been impervious to comprehensive and convincing explication, let alone remediation. Settler colonial studies, a fast-growing multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary field, is a promising candidate to rectify this impasse. Settler colonialism's relationship to health inequity is at once obvious and incompletely described, a paradox arising from epistemic coloniality and perceived analytic challenges that we address here in three parts. First, in considering settler colonialism an enduring structure rather than a past event, and by wedding this fundamental insight to the ascendant structural paradigm for understanding health inequities, a picture emerges in which this system of power serves as a foundational and ongoing configuration determining social and political mechanisms that impose on human health. Second, because modern racialization has served to solidify and maintain the hierarchies of colonial relations, settler colonialism adds explanatory power to racism's health impacts and potential amelioration by historicizing this process for differentially racialized groups. Finally, advances in structural racism methodologies and the work of a few visionary scholars have already begun to elucidate the possibilities for a body of literature linking settler colonialism and health, illuminating future research opportunities and pathways toward the decolonization required for health equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bram Wispelwey
- Department of Global Health and Population, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Global Health Equity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Osama Tanous
- François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yara Asi
- François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- School of Global Health Management and Informatics, College of Community Innovation and Education, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States
| | - Weeam Hammoudeh
- François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Institute of Community and Public Health, Birzeit University, Birzeit, Palestine
| | - David Mills
- François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Carlson TA, Liddell JL. The importance of community support for women in a Gulf Coast Indigenous tribe. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN HEALTHCARE 2023; 16:162-175. [PMID: 38770245 PMCID: PMC11104765 DOI: 10.1108/ijhrh-06-2022-0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Purpose – Community support is an integral aspect of health and well-being for Indigenous peoples. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the valuable role of community support for Indigenous women specifically, who experience reproductive health disparities at alarming rates. This study helps fill an important gap in Indigenous scholarship by centering the resilience of women and Indigenous tribes and by using a framework that is consistent with Indigenous holistic views of health. Design/methodology/approach – The data for this paper was collected as part of a larger study exploring the reproductive health experiences of a state-recognized Gulf Coast tribe. A total of 31 semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals who identify as women and as members of this tribe using qualitative descriptive methodology. This method is recommended for research with Indigenous communities. A community advisory board with representatives from this tribe provided feedback throughout the project. Findings – Themes expressed by participants included Community Closeness and Support; Community Support in Raising Children; Informal Adoption Common; and Community Values of Mutual Aid and Self-Sufficiency. The findings support current literature noting the value of generational and communal ties for Indigenous peoples. Implications of this research include the need to value and support community networks in programs serving tribes, in addition to meaningfully including Indigenous communities in developing interventions. Originality/value – This paper centers Indigenous women's resilience, approaches the health and well-being of Indigenous tribes holistically and helps to fill an important gap in literature describing informal adoption (outside the legal system) in state-recognized Indigenous communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess A Carlson
- School of Social Work, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Jessica L Liddell
- School of Social Work, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
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McKinley CE, Walters Choctaw Nation Of Oklahoma K. "It's Always About Sharing, and Caring, and Loving, and Giving": Decolonized and Transcendent Indigenist Foodways Fostering Health and Resilience. ADVERSITY AND RESILIENCE SCIENCE 2023; 4:89-103. [PMID: 37139345 PMCID: PMC10153538 DOI: 10.1007/s42844-022-00086-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Centuries of historical oppression have targeted and undermined Indigenous foodways, which fundamentally disrupts the culture and wellness, yet decolonized, resilient, and transcendent Indigenist practices persist. The purpose of this research was to use the framework of historical oppression, resilience, and transcendence (FHORT) to understand foodway practices among Indigenous Peoples. Given a limited understanding of how foodways may promote health and wellness the focal research questions for this critical ethnographic inquiry were: (a) How do participants describe Indigenist foodways? (b) How do Indigenist foodways reflect decolonized values and practices? and (c) How may Indigenist foodways be promotive for health and wellness? Data were drawn from 31 participants across a rural, reservation-based Southeast (SE) region and an urban Northwest (NW) region. Reconstructive data analysis revealed the following emergent themes: (a) Indigenous Values of Generosity Expressed Through Foodways: "It's Always About Sharing, and Caring, and Loving, and Giving"; (b) Gardening, Subsistence, and Food Sharing: "You Bring Enough for Everybody to Share"; (c) Decolonized Feasts and Foodways: "Everybody Pitch in and Help as Much as They Can." Despite centuries of historical oppression, participants reported decolonized values, worldviews, and foodways that reflected unity, cooperation, sharing, and social cohesion and caring, which were promotive factors for family resilience, health, and cultural identification. This research provides promising pathways about how Indigenist foodways remain salient in daily and cultural life, reflect decolonized values and practices, and may be promotive for health and wellness within the natural world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E McKinley
- Associate Professor, Tulane University School of Social Work, 127 Elk Place, New Orleans, LA 70112
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McKinley CE. "We were always doing something outside. … I had a wonderful, wonderful life": U.S. Indigenous peoples' subsistence, physical activity, and the natural world. SSM. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN HEALTH 2022; 2:100170. [PMID: 36582621 PMCID: PMC9797056 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Obesity tends to be higher, whereas physical activity (PA) tends to be lower for U.S. Indigenous peoples, which drives chronic health problems and mortality. Historical oppression and nutritional colonialism have disrupted Indigenous peoples' subsistence and concomitant PA. The purpose of this research is to use the framework of historical oppression, resilience, and transcendence (FHORT) with 31 participants in a critical ethnography identifying past and present forms of PA. By examining universal themes across two tribal contexts-a Southeast reservation tribal context and an urban Northwestern context-important knowledge about promising forms of PA can inform culturally relevant and effective interventions to promote health and prevent obesity and chronic health problems. Reconstructive thematic qualitative analysis resulted in the following themes: (a) Family-Centered Physical Activity: "The Kids Would … Follow Along, Dropping Seeds and Covering it … the Seeds Grew"; (b) Staying Active in the Natural World: "When I Would Go Home [from boarding school] in the Summertime, That's When … We'll Be Back Being an Indian"; (c) Staying Active through Culture: "The Traditional Dancing … [is] a Form of Exercise"; (d) Mental Wellness in Nature: "It Seemed Like Just Sitting Out There Makes You Feel Better"; and (e) Sports and Competitions Fostering PA: "A lot … Prefer Playing Softball, Basketball, Volleyball, Nowadays". Results highlighted how participants preferred and participated in subsistence and PA growing up, how this had evolved over time, and how being outside in nature contributed to a sense of wellness and overall health.
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Lewis ME, Smith J, Wildcat S, Anderson A, Walls ML. The Health Effects of a Cherokee Grounded Culture and Leadership Program. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19138018. [PMID: 35805678 PMCID: PMC9266134 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19138018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Indigenous youth and young adults endure some of the highest rates of physical and mental health problems in the United States compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. Colonization, oppression, and discrimination play a substantial role in these inequitable disease rates. However, culture (e.g., identity, participation, and connection) relates to the prevention of and recovery from illness in Indigenous populations. The Remember the Removal program aims to teach Indigenous youth and young adults tribally specific culture, history, and language to put them on a trajectory to become informed and culturally connected community leaders. We examined the program’s effects on health. Method: Thirty Remember the Removal program participants, mainly young adults, completed surveys four times: before the program’s start, at the end of the training period, at the program’s end, and at a six-month follow-up. Various indicators of physical, mental, spiritual, and cultural health and well-being were measured at each time period. Paired t-tests were completed to compare baseline scores to each subsequent time interval. Results: At program completion, and as indicated with an asterisk at the six month follow-up, participants had statistically significantly improved diet and exercise measures (e.g., reduced sugary, salty, and fatty foods, reduced soda consumption, increased fruit consumption, and improved self-efficacy for exercise), improved mental health indicators (e.g., reduced stress, anxiety, depression*, anger*, post-traumatic stress disorder, and microaggressions*, and improved positive mental health) and improved social and cultural connection (e.g., social support, Cherokee identity*, Cherokee values). Discussion: This is one of the first quantitative studies to demonstrate the profound effects that cultural learning and connection have on the health and well-being of Indigenous people and practices. It also demonstrates the specificity and effectiveness of a program created by and for tribal citizens. Future programs with Indigenous populations should work to center cultural connection and ensure that programs are created and directed by tribal community members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa E. Lewis
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Jamie Smith
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA;
| | - Sky Wildcat
- Department of Rehabilitation, Human Resources, & Communication Disorders, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA;
| | - Amber Anderson
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Hudson College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA;
| | - Melissa L. Walls
- Center for American Indian Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Duluth, MN 55812, USA;
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13
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Heid O, Khalid M, Smith H, Kim K, Smith S, Wekerle C, Bomberry T, Hill LD, General DA, Green TJ, Harris C, Jacobs B, Jacobs N, Kim K, Horse ML, Martin-Hill D, McQueen KCD, Miller TF, Noronha N, Smith S, Thomasen K, Wekerle C. Indigenous Youth and Resilience in Canada and the USA: a Scoping Review. ADVERSITY AND RESILIENCE SCIENCE 2022; 3:113-147. [PMID: 35733443 PMCID: PMC9206629 DOI: 10.1007/s42844-022-00060-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Relative to non-Indigenous youth, Indigenous youth have been under-represented when studying pathways to mental wellness. Yet, a broad range of adversity is acknowledged, from intergenerational and ongoing trauma arising from colonial policies. This scoping review explores resilience definitions, measures, key stressors, and what Indigenous youth identify as pathways to their wellness, based on quantitative and qualitative peer-reviewed literature in Canada and the Continental United States. Eight databases (EBSCO, PsycINFO, Science Direct, Social Science Citation Index, Web of Science, PsycARTICLES, and EMBASE) and hand searches of 7 relevant journals were conducted to ensure literature coverage. Two independent reviewers screened each article, with one Indigenous screener per article. The final scoping review analysis included 44 articles. In articles, no Indigenous term for resilience was found, but related concepts were identified ("walking a good path," "good mind," Grandfathers' teachings on 7 values, decision-making for 7 generations into the future, etc.). Few Indigenous-specific measures of resilience exist, with studies relying on Western measures of psychological resilience. Qualitative approaches supporting youth-led resilience definitions yielded important insights. Youth stressors included the following: substance use, family instability, and loss of cultural identity. Youth resilience strategies included the following: having a future orientation, cultural pride, learning from the natural world, and interacting with community members (e.g., relationship with Elders, being in community and on the land). Indigenous traditional knowledge and cultural continuity serve as prominent pathways to Indigenous youth resilience. More research is needed to yield a holistic, youth-centered measure of resilience that includes traditional practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Heid
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Marria Khalid
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
| | - Hailey Smith
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
| | - Katherine Kim
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Savannah Smith
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Christine Wekerle
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - The Six Nations Youth Mental Wellness Committee
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Tristan Bomberry
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Lori Davis Hill
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Daogyehneh Amy General
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Tehota’kerá:tonh Jeremy Green
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Chase Harris
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Beverly Jacobs
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Norma Jacobs
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Katherine Kim
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Makasa Looking Horse
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Dawn Martin-Hill
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Kahontiyoha Cynthia Denise McQueen
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Tehahenteh Frank Miller
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Noella Noronha
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Savanah Smith
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Kristen Thomasen
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
| | - Christine Wekerle
- Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
- Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario Canada
- Social Work, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
- Pediatrics, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada
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14
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Cordova-Marks FM, Carson WO, Monetathchi A, Little A, Erdrich J. Native and Indigenous Populations and Gastric Cancer: A Worldwide Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:5437. [PMID: 35564831 PMCID: PMC9100179 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19095437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Gastric cancer is a worldwide concern, particularly for Indigenous populations who face greater disparities in healthcare. With decreased access to screening and critical treatment delays, this group is experiencing adverse health effects. To determine what factors drive these disparities, a systematic review was performed in PubMed. This revealed a lack of research on gastric cancer specific to this population. The literature primarily focused on subset analyses and biological aspects with sparse focus on determinants of health. The results informed this presentation on factors related to Indigenous gastric cancer, which are influenced by colonialism. Indigenous populations encounter high rates of food shortage, exposure to harmful environmental agents, structural racism in the built environment, H. pylori, and compromised healthcare quality as an effect of colonialism, which all contribute to the gastric cancer burden. Putting gastric cancer into a cultural context is a potential means to respond to colonial perspectives and their negative impact on Indigenous patients. The objective of this manuscript is to examine the current state of gastric cancer literature from a global perspective, describe what is currently known based on this literature review, supplemented with additional resources due to lack of published works in PubMed, and to present a model of gastric cancer through the lens of a modified medicine wheel as a potential tool to counter colonial healthcare perspectives and to honor Indigenous culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felina M. Cordova-Marks
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA;
| | - William O. Carson
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA;
| | - Angela Monetathchi
- Cellular Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA;
| | | | - Jennifer Erdrich
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA;
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15
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Welch JR. A'uwẽ (Xavante) Social Constructions of Well-Being in Central Brazil. Med Anthropol 2021; 40:799-814. [PMID: 34383573 PMCID: PMC7612006 DOI: 10.1080/01459740.2021.1961247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Well-being is a heterogeneous idea with inconsistent applicability to real-world circumstances. In this article, I explore A’uwẽ (Xavante) notions of social well-being from an ethnographic perspective. My data indicate many members of this Indigenous group understand wellness to involve not only health and harmony, but also certain modes of strife and inequality that are also viewed as desirable. A’uwẽ understandings of social wellness, including linkages to the environment, suggest that a broader and more locally contingent concept of social well-being than is evident in mainstream literature would benefit transcultural health efforts and policy involving Indigenous and other culturally distinct communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R Welch
- Associate Researcher, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz
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16
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Gutiérrez-Carmona A, Urzúa A, Rdz-Navarro K. Ethnic Identity and Well-Being of Andean Indigenous People: The Effect of Individualistic and Collectivist Value Orientations. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18136811. [PMID: 34201913 PMCID: PMC8297177 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18136811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this research was to evaluate the mediating effect of the value orientations of collectivism and individualism on the relationship between ethnic identity and well-being, the latter conceived from the worldview of Andean natives. For this purpose, under an observational and cross-sectional design, 395 Lickan-Antay adults (57% women) living in areas of indigenous development and in two cities in northern Chile were surveyed. We used the Lickan-Antay BLA32 well-being scale, a short version of the Portrait 21 Values Questionnaire to measure individualistic and collectivistic values, and an adapted version of the Ethnic Identity Scale. The results show that ethnic identity had a direct positive effect on all three dimensions of well-being (harmony with community life, ethnic harmony and harmony with nature), and total indirect effects on all five dimensions of well-being, one of them originating mainly from collectivist orientations. Individualistic orientations also showed a positive, though less intense, mediating effect on well-being. We conclude that collectivist and individualistic motivational patterns coexist in Lickan-Antay natives and explain an important part of the relationship between ethnic identity and well-being. Finally, we discuss our results and suggest replication of this study in other ethnic contexts to assess the generalizability of these findings to other native peoples of the Andean region of South America.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alfonso Urzúa
- School of Psychology, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile;
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17
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McKinley CE, Liddell J, Lilly J. All Work and No Play: Indigenous Women "Pulling the Weight" in Home Life. THE SOCIAL SERVICE REVIEW 2021; 95:278-311. [PMID: 34334828 PMCID: PMC8321394 DOI: 10.1086/714551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The invisible labor of household management, including child care, housework, and financial responsibilities, is a contemporary form of historical oppression adding strain and contributing to mothers' role overload, depression, distress, and health impairments. The purpose of this article is to use the Framework of Historical Oppression, Resilience, and Transcendence to understand the experiences of gender dynamics in home life responsibilities among two Southeastern tribes. Reconstructive analysis from a critical ethnography with 436 participants revealed the following themes: (1) moms "mostly pulling the weight"; (2) women and child care: "We do it all," and men-"If they're there, they're there"; (3) financial imbalances; and (4) women's resilience and resistance. Despite experiencing the resilience of gender egalitarianism prior to colonization, women persistently experience the effects of the historical oppression of patriarchal colonialism through being overburdened and undervalued in home life. Decolonization is needed to re-establish gender egalitarianism to redress this patriarchal oppression.
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18
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Gall A, Anderson K, Howard K, Diaz A, King A, Willing E, Connolly M, Lindsay D, Garvey G. Wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples in Canada, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and the United States: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18115832. [PMID: 34071636 PMCID: PMC8198891 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18115832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite the health improvements afforded to non-Indigenous peoples in Canada, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and the United States, the Indigenous peoples in these countries continue to endure disproportionately high rates of mortality and morbidity. Indigenous peoples' concepts and understanding of health and wellbeing are holistic; however, due to their diverse social, political, cultural, environmental and economic contexts within and across countries, wellbeing is not experienced uniformly across all Indigenous populations. We aim to identify aspects of wellbeing important to the Indigenous people in Canada, Aotearoa and the United States. We searched CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO and PubMed databases for papers that included key Indigenous and wellbeing search terms from database inception to April 2020. Papers that included a focus on Indigenous adults residing in Canada, Aotearoa and the United States, and that included empirical qualitative data that described at least one aspect of wellbeing were eligible. Data were analysed using the stages of thematic development recommended by Thomas and Harden for thematic synthesis of qualitative research. Our search resulted in 2669 papers being screened for eligibility. Following full-text screening, 100 papers were deemed eligible for inclusion (Aotearoa (New Zealand) n = 16, Canada n = 43, United States n = 41). Themes varied across countries; however, identity, connection, balance and self-determination were common aspects of wellbeing. Having this broader understanding of wellbeing across these cultures can inform decisions made about public health actions and resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana Gall
- Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Disease Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0810, Australia; (K.A.); (A.D.); (D.L.); (G.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Kate Anderson
- Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Disease Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0810, Australia; (K.A.); (A.D.); (D.L.); (G.G.)
| | - Kirsten Howard
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia;
| | - Abbey Diaz
- Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Disease Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0810, Australia; (K.A.); (A.D.); (D.L.); (G.G.)
| | - Alexandra King
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 2Z4, Canada;
| | - Esther Willing
- Kōhatu–Centre for Hauora Māori, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand;
| | - Michele Connolly
- International Group for Indigenous Health Measurement, Columbia, MD 21045, USA;
| | - Daniel Lindsay
- Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Disease Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0810, Australia; (K.A.); (A.D.); (D.L.); (G.G.)
| | - Gail Garvey
- Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Disease Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0810, Australia; (K.A.); (A.D.); (D.L.); (G.G.)
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19
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Happy just because. A cross-cultural study on subjective wellbeing in three Indigenous societies. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251551. [PMID: 33984063 PMCID: PMC8118246 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
While cross-cultural research on subjective well-being and its multiple drivers is growing, the study of happiness among Indigenous peoples continues to be under-represented in the literature. In this work, we measure life satisfaction through open-ended questionnaires to explore levels and drivers of subjective well-being among 474 adults in three Indigenous societies across the tropics: the Tsimane’ in Bolivian lowland Amazonia, the Baka in southeastern Cameroon, and the Punan in Indonesian Borneo. We found that life satisfaction levels in the three studied societies are slightly above neutral, suggesting that most people in the sample consider themselves as moderately happy. We also found that respondents provided explanations mostly when their satisfaction with life was negative, as if moderate happiness was the normal state and explanations were only needed when reporting a different life satisfaction level due to some exceptionally good or bad occurrence. Finally, we also found that issues related to health and–to a lesser extent–social life were the more prominent explanations for life satisfaction. Our research not only highlights the importance to understand, appreciate and respect Indigenous peoples’ own perspectives and insights on subjective well-being, but also suggests that the greatest gains in subjective well-being might be achieved by alleviating the factors that tend to make people unhappy.
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20
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Miñarro S, Reyes-García V, Aswani S, Selim S, Barrington-Leigh CP, Galbraith ED. Happy without money: Minimally monetized societies can exhibit high subjective well-being. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0244569. [PMID: 33439863 PMCID: PMC7806144 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Economic growth is often assumed to improve happiness for people in low income countries, although the association between monetary income and subjective well-being has been a subject of debate. We test this assumption by comparing three different measures of subjective well-being in very low-income communities with different levels of monetization. Contrary to expectations, all three measures of subjective well-being were very high in the least-monetized sites and comparable to those found among citizens of wealthy nations. The reported drivers of happiness shifted with increasing monetization: from enjoying experiential activities in contact with nature at the less monetized sites, to social and economic factors at the more monetized sites. Our results suggest that high levels of subjective well-being can be achieved with minimal monetization, challenging the perception that economic growth will raise life satisfaction among low income populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Miñarro
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Victoria Reyes-García
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Shankar Aswani
- Department of Anthropology and Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science (DIFS), Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
| | - Samiya Selim
- Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Liberal Arts (CSD-ULAB), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Christopher P. Barrington-Leigh
- Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill School of Environment, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Eric D. Galbraith
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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21
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McKinley CE, Roh S, Lee YS. American Indian Alcohol Use from a Sex-Specific Wellness Approach: Exploring Its Associated Physical, Behavioral, and Mental Risk and Protective Factors. JOURNAL OF EVIDENCE-BASED SOCIAL WORK (2019) 2021; 18:32-48. [PMID: 32780658 PMCID: PMC7790549 DOI: 10.1080/26408066.2020.1799648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The top causes of death for American Indians (AIs), including heart and liver disease, are associated with alcohol use. Using the culturally based Framework of Historical Oppression, Resilience, and Transcendence (FHORT), the purpose of this article was to examine AI alcohol use from a sex-specific wellness approach, exploring its associated physical, behavioral, and mental risk and protective factors. METHOD Data were drawn from a cross-sectional survey with 479 AI adults in South Dakota. We employed a series of multiple hierarchical regression analyses to assess the associations of demographic (sex, age, marital status, income, and educational attainment), physical (Body Mass Index and cardiovascular risk), behavioral (smoking and health self-efficacy) and mental (depressive symptoms) factors with alcohol use. RESULTS Results indicated that surveyed males tended to drink three times that of females, and depressive symptoms were associated with higher levels of alcohol use. DISCUSSION This study highlights the need to examine AI alcohol use with sex in mind.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Soonhee Roh
- Department of Social Work, University of South Dakota, 365 Health Science Center, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Yeon-Shim Lee
- School of Social Work, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
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22
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Burnette CE, Lesesne R, Temple C, Rodning CB. Family as the Conduit to Promote Indigenous Women and Men's Enculturation and Wellness: "I wish I had learned earlier". JOURNAL OF EVIDENCE-BASED SOCIAL WORK (2019) 2020; 17:1-23. [PMID: 32133410 PMCID: PMC7055490 DOI: 10.1080/26408066.2019.1617213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to explore how food and other cultural traditions promote wellness, cultural continuity, enculturation, and family resilience within tribal communities in the U.S. Using the Framework of Historical Oppression, Resilience, and Transcendence (FHORT), this critical ethnography examines Indigenous peoples' perspectives on and experiences with food and cultural traditions. Thematic analysis of data from 436 participants (approximately 2/3rds of which were women) across two Southeastern tribes revealed a theme of "fostering the transmission of tribal knowledge and intergenerational family bonding." Traditions such as dancing, food, sewing, beadwork, basket-weaving, music, and tribal sports were some important facets of tribal culture that participants described. Food and cultural practices promoted wellness, pro-social values, and health by fostering physical activity, traditional food practices, enculturation, and social support. Cultural practices offset historical oppression and health disparities. Programs that utilize the strengths of experiential learning through family and cultural practices are highly recommended.
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23
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Burnette CE, Ka'apu K, Scarnato JM, Liddell J. Cardiovascular Health among U.S. Indigenous Peoples: A Holistic and Sex-Specific Systematic Review. JOURNAL OF EVIDENCE-BASED SOCIAL WORK (2019) 2020; 17:24-48. [PMID: 32133411 PMCID: PMC7055486 DOI: 10.1080/26408066.2019.1617817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this systematic review is to examine mental, sociocultural, behavioral, and physical risk and protective factors related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and related outcomes among U.S. Indigenous peoples. METHODS A total of 51 articles met the inclusion criteria of research focusing factors for CVD among U.S. Indigenous peoples (Mental n= 15; Sociocultural, n =17; Behavioral/Physical, n =19). RESULTS This review reveals clear risks for CVD, which tended to be elevated for females. Mental health problems (depression, anxiety, PTSD/trauma, alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse) were clearly associated with CVD, along with enculturation, social support, and the social environment-including discrimination and trauma. Poor diet and obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol were behavioral or physical factors. DISCUSSION Overall, identified research was limited and in beginning stages, lacking more information on etiology of the interconnections across sex and the mental, sociocultural, and behavioral determinants of CVD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jessica Liddell
- City, Culture, & Community Doctoral Program, Tulane University
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