Health Ministry Conference

Meeting health disparities of Native Americans: A case example for working with communities: 

Meeting health disparities of Native Americans: A case example for working with communities Presented at National Health Ministries Conference July 2, 2005 Presented by Joy D. Voltz, OTD, OTR/L

Speaker background: 

Speaker background Faith communities seem like a great place for health education Occupational therapists can give constructive health advice Creighton offered opportunity to explore role of OT in health ministry Public health & health ministry go hand-in-hand

Learning objectives: 

Learning objectives Understand public health issues through use of case analysis Gain a glimpse at being an outsider of a community Learn how to build partnerships to meet community needs Reflect on your ability to perform outreach

Consider what you already know…: 

Consider what you already know… We come with many assumptions about communities…even our own… What are some of yours regarding Native Americans?

Aren’t Indians neat?!?!?!: 

Aren’t Indians neat?!?!?! “We used to root for the Indians against the cavalry, because we didn't think it was fair in the history books that when the cavalry won it was a great victory, and when the Indians won it was a massacre.” Dick Gregory

A little history…: 

A little history… Each tribe has a different culture Left out of statistics Placed on reservations Indian Health Service Public health concerns: - Obesity - Alcoholism - Diabetes - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Multiple cultures: 

Multiple cultures 569 federally recognized tribes Over 300 different languages About 300 reservations Sovereign entities Health care & education from the government due to a treaty in exchange for land

Slide12: 

Indian children sent to boarding school – off reservation

Historical influences…: 

Historical influences… Losing their land…. Losing their culture….

Omaha Tribe of Nebraska: 

Omaha Tribe of Nebraska “those going against the wind or current” Reservation – 1854 Intermarried with French trappers Size – 6,000 Originally lived in bark huts, then teepees & earth lodges Tribe attempted to live within white laws

Susan LaFlesche Picotte : 

Susan LaFlesche Picotte

Omaha Tribe Profile: 

Omaha Tribe Profile 40% unemployment Over half under $20,000 65% smoke 88% engage in binge drinking Over 50% obese

Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska: 

Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Originally from Wisconsin Treaties – 1874 Size – 3700 Winnebago Hospital

Winnebago Tribe Profile: 

Winnebago Tribe Profile 45% unemployment 40% below $20,000 33% smoke 88% report binge drinking 25% diagnosed with diabetes 40% classified as obese

A glimpse of the public health situation: 

A glimpse of the public health situation

Protective factors: 

Protective factors Strong tie to community Strong tie to family Culture Connection with past Traditional healing Adaptability Wisdom of elders

Wait…: 

Wait… Doesn’t this sound like a faith community?

Health concerns: 

Health concerns Substance misuse and abuse Historical perspective Traditional medicine vs. Western medicine Community PTSD

Community-campus partnership: 

Community-campus partnership Creighton has had a partnership with Omaha & Winnebago Tribes for over 10 years Student training Meeting health disparities

Community concerns: 

Community concerns Housing Accessibility – exercise, nutritional foods Cultural loss Public health issues Teen pregnancy & fetal alcohol syndrome Diabetes Mental health issues

Creighton’s Focus: 

Creighton’s Focus Cultural awareness Vocation as calling Lack of rural health care providers Meet health disparities Scholarship Community engagement

Partnership: 

Partnership The communities provide a rich experience for students to gain exposure to: Alternate health care system Rural access issues Cultural aspects of health care delivery Interprofessional teamwork Minority public health issues

Partnership: 

Partnership The community receives: Health screenings Students graduating with a desire to work in rural, minority setting Exposure to University promoting Native American youth to attend college Exercise classes Health education

Please take this away…: 

Please take this away… Use your resources Partner with a university to meet health needs Expand your resources Move beyond your physical building to the greater community, it makes everyone better

Faith community: Beyond the building: 

Faith community: Beyond the building Personally and professionally I feel called to provide health education and care beyond the walls of a physical faith community Working with the Native American communities challenges me and students in expanding resources to meet a greater good

How it works: 

How it works Many universities do community outreach University and community meet to determine needs Work together to help meet needs University recruits students Students learn in the process

Using the model: 

Using the model Contact local university or college Meet with professors with community interest Together create student projects Volunteer opportunities

Expanding beyond your walls: 

Expanding beyond your walls How would you go about assisting a minority group in your community? Mission of the faith community Understanding the minority groups in your community

Personal reflection: 

Personal reflection What benefits do you see to a partnership with a university? What about expanding your outreach beyond the faith community walls?

References: 

References Health & Human Services (2004). Cultural groups: Native Americans. Retrieved from http://erc.msh.org/mainpage.cfm?file=5.4.7.htm&module=provider&language=English National Library of Medicine (2002). American Indian Health. Retrieved from http://americanindianhealth.nlm.nih.gov/ National Library of Medicine (1994). “If you knew the conditions”…Health care to Native Americans. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/if_you_knew/if_you_knew_01.html Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (2004). Health survey: Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska in Thurston County, Nebraska. Health and Human Services: Lincoln, Nebraska. Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (2004). Health survey: Omaha Tribe of Nebraska in Thurston County, Nebraska. Health and Human Services: Lincoln, Nebraska. Office of Minority Health (2000). American Indian and Alaska Native Populations. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/omh/Populations/AIAN/AIAN.htm State of Nebraska Commission of Indian Affairs (2005). Omaha Tribe of Nebraska. Retrieved from http://www.indianaffairs.state.ne.us/omaha.html

Contact Information: 

Contact Information Joy D. Voltz, OTD, OTR/L E: joyvoltz@creighton.edu http://oisse.creighton.edu