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Native American Health
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Dawn of HealthTM Diversity Wellness offers a Native American health promotion program called Dawn of Health. This program focuses on the prevention of heart disease, the leading cause of morbitity and mortality among Native Americans. Diversity Wellness uses evidence-based heart health education materials which highlight the benefits of diet, exercise, stress reduction, and tobacco cessation.
Diversity Wellness partners with community leaders and the Indian Health Service to ensure cultural competency and program coordination. Our worksite wellness programs are administered by community health representatives (CHRs) to ensure cultural appropriateness and to increase the awareness and utilization of existing tribal resources.
Each employee begins the program by completing Path to Health, a culturally appropriate health risk assessment developed by the Indian Health Service. Participants then receive a Personal Wellness Report which provides lifestyle improvement recommendations and directs them to additional resources.
Prevalence of Heart DiseaseHeart disease is the leading cause of death in adult American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. More AI/AN over 45 years die of heart disease than any other disease. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and is increasing in AI/AN populations. Recent data from the US Department of Health and Human Services revealed that AI/AN women are least likely to have a blood pressure screening (27%) compared to Caucasian women (80%).
The Need for Culturally Competent Health PromotionHealth programs using a Western approach to health have dominated traditional American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) models for healing and prevention. To be culturally competent, health programs must begin to define community, prevention, networking, collaboration, and healing as it relates to cultural understanding and awareness. According to Management Science for Health's "Provider's Guide to Quality and Culture", in order to be effective in working with AI/AN communities, providers and programs must incorporate all elements of healing and prevention and include communities in developing appropriate interpretations and analyses of health and dimensions of vulnerability. Traditional Native Viewpoint on Diseases and Healing
Within the vast number of tribal nations there are many different beliefs of health and the cause of illness, however there are many similarities between the beliefs of the peoples. Traditionally most Native People view health holistically as a balance between our ? Mental states. Health disparities may also result from improper thoughts or behaviors or from other outside forces. When illness is perceived, a healer is called to diagnose the cause. Although the traditional Native American medicinal practices are not scientifically proven the practice of these beliefs have healed patients; it is important to note that people all over the world have used herbal therapy as a medicine and that the ceremonial ways can be compared to the concept of guided imagery. Many Native People continue to practice tribal religions and traditional healing. Modern medicine is used more frequently in short term illness but when modern medicine does not work the people call on the traditional ways of ceremonies, prayers and plants. Ceremonies and prayers are believed to treat the whole person, not just the disease; in many cases once these are carried through the patient?s health will improve or at least will feel content that all efforts have been made, usually the use of traditional medicine is complementary with that of western interventions.
Contact us today to learn more about our culturally competent corporate health promotion programs. |