Type 2 Diabetes in Native Americans: The Influence of Historical and Cultural Factors on Incidence, Prevalence, and Strategies for Patient Education, Disease Prevention, and Management

• Main Author: Olsen, Tim
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: UND Scholarly Commons 2017
• Subjects: Cultural Competency; Diabetes Mellitus; Type 2 > ethnology; Type 2 > prevention & control; Health Behavior > ethnology; Health Education; Health Status Disparities; Indians; North American; Risk Factors; Endocrinology; Diabetes; and Metabolism; First Nations; Alaska
• Online Access: https://commons.und.edu/pas-grad-posters/49; https://commons.und.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1048&context=pas-grad-posters

Type 2 diabetes (DM2) was virtually nonexistent among Native American, Alaska Native, and Canadian First Nations people prior to the 1950s. Due to historical, cultural, environmental, and psychosocial factors, Native people suffer disproportionately higher rates of DM2 than other populations. This literature review aims to examine the influence of these factors and investigate whether insight and knowledge into them, as well as culturally sensitive approaches to disease education, prevention, and self-management can be beneficial to providers working among Native communities. The results suggested that culturally sensitive approaches are indeed of value in promoting more effective care, and that lack of cultural sensitivity can present an obstacle. https://commons.und.edu/pas-grad-posters/1048/thumbnail.jpg