Disability through a Native American lens: examining influences of culture and colonization.
Disability is a socially constructed identity. What constitutes a disability and what it means to be a person with a disability can vary across cultures. This article explores meanings of disability within Native American cultures, including how ideas about wellness, balance, roles, and responsibilities influence perceptions of disabilities. This is followed by a review of disability prevalence, discussion of services, and explorations of possible reasons for the disproportionate impact of disabilities in Native American populations. The article concludes with an examination of how the colonial context frames both attitudes about and services for Native Americans with disabilities.
a School of Social Work , University at Buffalo , Buffalo , New York , USA.
Hilary N
HN
Weaver
D018595:Colonialism; D003469:Culture; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D006304:Health Status; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States; D016549:United States Indian Health Service / Q000458:organization & administration
American Indian; Native American; decolonization; disability; empowerment; health disparities; indigenous; wellness