"Close-knit" defines a healthy Native American Indian family

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.