Sladen Blog

Monday October 14th is Indigenous Peoples' Day

Since 2021, Indigenous Peoples' Day is an official day to recognize and reflect upon the contributions of Indigenous people in the United States as well as the violence and devastation inflicted upon them throughout the history of our nation. As a result of that oppression, Indigenous communities have significant and lasting health disparities.

• The leading causes of death for Indigenous peoples is heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, and diabetes.
• The life expectancy of indigenous people today is 5.5 years less than all other US population groups.
• The death rate for many diseases, such as chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, diabetes, unintentional injuries, assault/homicide, intentional self-harm/suicide, and chronic lower respiratory diseases is higher for Indigenous populations in American than other US population groups. (1)

Michigan is home to 12 federally recognized tribes, with approximately 200,000 tribal members in total. Here are some initiatives aimed at enhancing the health and well-being of Indigenous populations in our state:

• Michigan State University College of Human Medicine's Indigenous Pathway Program is designed to increase the representation of Indigenous students in the medical field as well as educate non-Indigenous medical students who have interest in Indigenous health.
• To account for the health disparity data gap, the Michigan Health Information Network (MiHIN) is working with the tribes in Michigan to establish culturally relevant, interoperable, health information exchange opportunities.
• Cross-Cultural Medicine: Healthcare for Native Americans in Michigan (On-demand Webinar): Native American communities, including those in urban and tribe areas of Michigan, have historically been marginalized and underserved in terms of medical care. This presentation will provide an overview of the health status of these communities and discuss ways that family medicine physicians can address these disparities in a unique and integrated manner. One such approach is cross-cultural medicine. This presentation will also explore how Family Medicine Physicians can make their practices more inclusive and respectful of the cultural and spiritual beliefs of their Native American patients.
• American Indian Health & Family Services (AIHFS) is a nonprofit health and community wellness center whose mission is to empower and enhance the physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental well-being of underserved populations in Southeast Michigan. The center’s approach integrates traditional Native American healing and spiritual practices with contemporary Western medicine in both treatment and prevention through the use of the Integrated Care Model.

If you’d like to read more on culturally-competent health care for indigenous communities, below are a few selected articles on the topic.

• Visioning an Effective Health Encounter: Indigenous Healthcare Experiences and Recommendations for Health Professionals
• Re-imagining mental health services for American Indian communities: Centering Indigenous perspectives
• Supporting the Health and Well-Being of Indigenous Communities: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians

References

1. Disparities. Indian Health Service. https://www.ihs.gov/newsroom/factsheets/disparities/ Published 2019. Accessed October 9, 2024.