The Health of Alaska Native Women

Native American women living in Alaska have a number of health problems with higher incidence and mortality rates than other women in the United States. These include certain cancers (cervical, lung), sexually transmitted diseases (chlamydia, human papilomavirus), and use of alcohol and tobacco. These health concerns are exacerbated by restricted access to medical services, lack of culturally sensitive health promotion efforts by health providers, and Native women's limited use of preventive health behaviors. Suggestions for health promotion with this population include framing health promotion in a holistic manner that includes Native values and spirituality, use of cultural symbols (such as the talking stick), and cultural teaching traditions (talking circle, story-telling).