Healthcare and the Indian Culture
September 6, 2011 Research Paper 1
In order to provide equitable and effective health care, clinicians need to be able to function effectively within the context of the cultural beliefs, behaviors, and needs of patients and their communities. Failing to support and foster culturally competent health care for racial and ethnic minorities can increase costs for individuals and society through increased hospitalizations and complications.
The following cultural patterns may represent many American Indians, but do not represent all people in a community. According to the University of California School of Nursing, in Culture and Clinical Care, many aspects of Indian culture today reflect the culture of the general US population.
The American Indian concept of family includes immediate and extended family members, as well as community and tribal members. Women are the traditional care givers. Grandparents help counsel and care for their grandchildren, and children are expected to respect and care for their elders and take pride in their culture. At powwows, elders are served meals first and are given special seating areas. Indian communities encourage education with an emphasis on the unique cultural legacies of the community. Younger people often leave home to become educated, then return to help their families and tribes. In 2006, the population of American Indians and Alaskan Natives in the US was 3.2 million, with 43 percent of the population living in California, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Texas. In Minnesota, American Indians represented 1.2 percent of the total population in 2008. With lack of migration to Minnesota from other states, this population will see a slower growth rate than other minority groups. A growth rate of only 13 percent is projected between 2005 and 2035, with a declining population projected for Hennepin and Ramsey counties. The average age of Indians in Minnesota is expected to become older, with the under 15 age group
In order to provide equitable and effective health care, clinicians need to be able to function effectively within the context of the cultural beliefs, behaviors, and needs of patients and their communities. Failing to support and foster culturally competent health care for racial and ethnic minorities can increase costs for individuals and society through increased hospitalizations and complications.
The following cultural patterns may represent many American Indians, but do not represent all people in a community. According to the University of California School of Nursing, in Culture and Clinical Care, many aspects of Indian culture today reflect the culture of the general US population.
The American Indian concept of family includes immediate and extended family members, as well as community and tribal members. Women are the traditional care givers. Grandparents help counsel and care for their grandchildren, and children are expected to respect and care for their elders and take pride in their culture. At powwows, elders are served meals first and are given special seating areas. Indian communities encourage education with an emphasis on the unique cultural legacies of the community. Younger people often leave home to become educated, then return to help their families and tribes. In 2006, the population of American Indians and Alaskan Natives in the US was 3.2 million, with 43 percent of the population living in California, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Texas. In Minnesota, American Indians represented 1.2 percent of the total population in 2008. With lack of migration to Minnesota from other states, this population will see a slower growth rate than other minority groups. A growth rate of only 13 percent is projected between 2005 and 2035, with a declining population projected for Hennepin and Ramsey counties. The average age of Indians in Minnesota is expected to become older, with the under 15 age group