Suffer The American Indians and Alaska Natives

Considering the rich background in the culture view of holistic healing, the statistics in fatality with American Indians and Alaska natives are most alarming. The disparities are the cause and there are many. Language, learning, strong ties to traditionally cultural healing, accessibility, and social class. It is social class that I will focus my post on.

From what I gleamed from my research Alcoholism is the leading decease and is the underlining reason for heart problems, diabetes, accidents, suicide, and birth issues from fetal alcohol syndrome. It is not surprising that alcoholism is so prevalent to these cultural groups do to their social class that being poverty and the poverty cycle we learned in the previous chapter. When basic access is not presented, limited education, and affordability are not present than despair and hopelessness begins to rise. Self medicating becomes the natural process and alcohol is unfortunately the leading alternative. The reason I believe is its legal status, accessibility and cheapness of the product.

When we as a government can increase accessibly and affordability with their cultural belief integrated within the healthcare institution I believe we will decrease the disparity.

Education has to heighten both in language as well with shared or similar beliefs. Meaning; showing the patient that the healing process although unorthodox to their tradition still has fundamental ties to their culture. As a caregiver it is paramount that you establish trust between you and the patient it is truly a learning curve between the patent and the provider.

Personally this condition saddens me being once an active alcoholic I understand the levels of despair you can be driven to, including suicidal thoughts that can result in death, and keeping in mind all the other health conditions that arise from heavy drinking.

Reference:

(Spector, Rachel E.. Cultural Diversity in Health & Illness, 6th Edition. 072003: Prentice Hall, 072003. 11.5).