title: Meaning of Health: The Perspectives of Aboriginal Adults and Youth in a Northern Manitoba First Nations Community.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore perspectives on the meaning of health to Aboriginal adults and youth living in a northern Manitoba First Nations community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six focus groups with 29 youth and individual interviews with 10 adults were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adults and older youth used aspects of health depicted in the Medicine Wheel to describe being healthy, but younger youth were not as specific. Both generations spoke about the importance of positive adult role models (emotional health), incorporation of traditional First Nations practices into everyday life (spiritual health), changes in diet and activity (physical health) and the significance of making good choices (mental health).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants incorporated aspects of current and traditional lifestyles into their discussion of health. Use of the Medicine Wheel to conceptualize health holistically on the part of both adults and older youth suggest that it may be an effective way to frame health promotion strategies for younger youth. Because it is in harmony with cultural values, such an approach may influence other members of this community to adopt healthful lifestyle practices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Human Ecology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Electronic address: corinne.isaak@mts.net.
authors.forename: Corinne A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Isaak
authors.affiliation: Adjunct Professor, Department of Human Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Human Ecology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Assistant Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marchessault
keywords: Définition du mot «santé»; First Nations youth; Medicine Wheel; jeunes des Premières nations; meaning of health; roue médicinale