title: Traditionalism and its relationship to disease risk and protective behaviors of women living on the Hopi reservation.
abstract: The fundamental aim of this study was to identify factors crucial for the development of effective cancer prevention programs for American Indian (AI) populations. Toward that end, we developed an instrument to assess the influence of traditionalism on health risks such as smoking, consumption, and obesity. A population-based survey was conducted among 559 randomly selected women living on the Hopi reservation aged 18 years and older, from July through December 1993. To construct a traditionalism score, we conducted focus groups in the community. A multidimensional approach was adopted by assessing three dimensions of native culture: language usage; cultural participation, or participation in such activities as Hopi ceremonies; and percentage of life spent off-reservation. A mean score of the three dimensions was computed for each respondent. High levels of traditionalism were significantly associated with disease protective behaviors, such as practicing traditional Hopi activities to keep healthy (OR = 3.07), and significantly inversely associated with disease risk factors such as smoking (OR = 0.26) and obesity (OR = 0.60) independent of age, marital status, and education. As these data provide a strong rationale for the promotion of traditions in public health programs aimed at decreasing rates of chronic disease among AI women, we conclude this paper with a discussion of the importance of traditionalism and how it might be accurately assessed.
authors.affiliation: Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85724-5024, USA. kcoe@azcc.arizona.edu
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Coe
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Attakai
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papenfuss
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giuliano
authors.forename: Lorencita
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nuvayestewa
mesh_terms: D001130:Arizona / Q000453:epidemiology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008019:Life Style; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health