Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 4, 2025
14:43
A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
Published on: January 12, 2018
12.1K
The Generational Impact Of Racism On Health: Voices From American Indian Communities
Teshia G Arambula Solomon1, Rachel Rose Bobelu Starks2, Agnes Attakai3
1Teshia G. Arambula Solomon (solomont@arizona.edu), University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
Health Affairs (Project Hope)
|February 7, 2022
Summary
Structural racism has historically harmed American Indians and Alaska Natives, leading to intergenerational trauma and health disparities. Addressing systemic racism through policy changes, like supporting traditional healers, is crucial for improving Indigenous health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Indigenous Studies
Background:
- Systemic racism against American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) is deeply embedded in historical and current policies.
- Generations of AI/AN have endured genocidal and assimilationist policies, leading to profound psychological and cultural damage.
- These historical traumas contribute to AI/AN being marginalized within the healthcare system and experiencing significant health disparities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe historical trauma and its direct links to the health of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
- To illustrate systemic biases in institutionalized structures using real-life experiences.
- To propose the American Indian and Alaska Native Cultural Wisdom Declaration as a framework for policy change.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative analysis of collected stories from AI/AN individuals experiencing the effects of racist policies.
- Development of two case studies, including a Navajo Nation member's COVID-19 pandemic experience.
- Examination of the American Indian and Alaska Native Cultural Wisdom Declaration's potential impact.
Main Results:
- Historical trauma, stemming from racist policies, significantly impacts the psychological well-being and health of AI/AN.
- Case studies reveal explicit biases within institutional structures affecting AI/AN health.
- The Cultural Wisdom Declaration offers a pathway to dismantle systemic racism in Indigenous health.
Conclusions:
- Eliminating systemic racism requires policy reform that acknowledges and rectifies historical injustices.
- Policy changes should include lifting funding constraints for AI/AN initiatives and integrating traditional healing practices.
- Implementing the principles of the American Indian and Alaska Native Cultural Wisdom Declaration can advance health equity for AI/AN communities.
Related Concept Videos
02:55Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
92.1K
Humans are very diverse and although we share many similarities, we also have many differences. The social groups we belong to help form our identities (Tajfel, 1974). These differences may be difficult for some people to reconcile, which may lead to prejudice toward people who are different. Prejudice is a negative attitude and feeling toward an individual based solely on one’s membership in a particular social group (Allport, 1954; Brown, 2010). Prejudice is common against people who...
92.1K
01:27Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
105
Adolescents from ethnic minority backgrounds face a multifaceted journey in forming their identities, shaped by the intersections of cultural expectations and personal exploration. For these adolescents, identity formation involves not only typical developmental challenges but also navigating the perceptions and attitudes of the majority culture. As they grow, adolescents in ethnic minority groups often become increasingly aware of stereotypes, social biases, and discrimination, all of which...
105
01:25Impact of Individuals on a Group
29
In social psychology, the interplay between individuals and groups is a central concern, particularly regarding how individual actions and characteristics influence group processes and outcomes. While much research emphasizes the group's power in shaping individual behavior, it is equally significant to understand how individuals contribute to the functioning, development, and success of groups.Individual Roles in Group Productivity and Decision-MakingIndividuals are not passive participants in...
29
02:16Surveys
16.1K
Often, psychologists develop surveys as a means of gathering data. Surveys are lists of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be delivered as paper-and-pencil questionnaires, administered electronically, or conducted verbally. Generally, the survey itself can be completed in a short time, and the ease of administering a survey makes it easy to collect data from a large number of people.
16.1K
01:18Factors Affecting Illness
4.6K
When a person's physical, emotional, intellectual, social development or spiritual functioning is compromised, this deviation from a healthy normal state is called illness. Illness creates stress that in turn harms individuals. Irritation, anger, denial, hopelessness, and fear are behavioral and emotional changes an individual experiences in the phases of illness. A variety of factors influence a person's health and well-being.
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
4.6K
01:28Impact of Groups on Individuals
40
Groups play a fundamental role in shaping individual behavior, as they establish norms that guide interactions and decision-making. Social psychology examines how individuals conform to group expectations, often adjusting their attitudes and actions to align with group norms. These norms can be formal, such as workplace policies, or informal, such as unspoken social expectations within a fraternity.Conformity and Social InfluenceConformity arises when individuals modify their behaviors or...
40