title: Work, worksites, and wellbeing among North American Indian women: a qualitative study.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to understand what factors influenced work-family balance and related health behaviors among a sample of rural North American Indian women. We interviewed 89 women through both in-depth interviews and focus groups across four tribal communities in the American Southwest and Upper Midwest between July 2010 and August 2011. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for emerging themes related to work- family demands placed on women and resources available to cope with those demands. Three prominent themes emerged: structural characteristics (the context of rural reservation life), role stressors (women's multiple and conflicting roles) and the influence of social support (communal nature of care in the family and institutional support in the workplace). We found that women in participating rural reservation communities often acted as primary caregivers for both immediate and extended family, and often placed the needs of others before themselves. The context of rural reservations, with high rates of unemployment, poverty, and chronic illnesses associated with the collective trauma of colonization, placed high demands on female caregivers. Social support from within the workplace, family, and cultural traditions helped some female caregivers balance the demands of home and work. Tribal worksites could be a resource for promoting health and work-life balance by being responsive to the particular demands placed on women that often interfere with engaging in positive health behaviors in general and tribal wellness programs in particular.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Policy and Management , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , USA.
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pharmacy Administration and Public Health , College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences of St. John's University , Queens , USA.
authors.forename: Preety
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gadhoke
authors.affiliation: c Center for Human Nutrition within the Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , USA.
authors.forename: Marla
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pardilla
authors.affiliation: c Center for Human Nutrition within the Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , USA.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gittelsohn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012424:Rural Population; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States; D000072358:Work-Life Balance; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Indians; North American; qualitative research; social support; worksite wellness