title: "Close-knit" defines a healthy Native American Indian family.
abstract: In the United States, the most significant health disparities occur among members of the American Indian and Alaskan Native populations. Because their health beliefs, values, and cultural practices are learned within a family system, this study used a focused ethnography to explore American Indians' perceptions of a healthy family. Seventeen interviews were performed with 21 adults residing on a reservation on the Northern Plains of the United States. Participant observation was conducted during 100 hr of fieldwork. All informants identified a healthy family as being "close-knit," indicating that the major defining feature of these families is the degree of connectedness among members, immediate and extended. In this paper, we present adult tribal members' descriptions of a healthy family. It is evident that culturally appropriate programs, which consider American Indians' values/beliefs and build on community assets, are urgently needed to reduce health disparities.
authors.affiliation: 1University of Manitoba, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yurkovich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005190:Family / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005192:Family Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000208:ethnology*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: American Indian; Native American; family; family health; focused ethnography