American Indian health disparities
Barriers AI/AN Transgender and Two-Spirit Youth Face Accessing Healthcare
Historical trauma
American Indian boarding schools
Adverse childhood experience
Food programs
European colonialism
Spread of disease
death of up to 90% of the AI population
ancestral suffering, emotional and psychological wounding
Historical trauma response
"rumination over past events and lost ancestors, unresolved mourning, feeling numb in response to traumatic events, anger, depression, intrusive dreams and thoughts, fantasies about saving lost ancestors"
loss of tribal land, forced attendance of boarding schools, loss of language, loss of culture, discomfort around white people, shame, and rage
trauma at the individual, familial, and community level
Civilization Fund Act
"for the purpose of providing against further decline and final extinction of the Indian tribes...for the teaching of their children in reading, writing, and arithmetic..."
Belief that this program would assimilate AI people into "American culture"
problem of "back to the blanket" creates the idea of boarding schools
"Kill the Indian, Save the Man"
children sent away from their parents for up to 12 years; rampant disease, lack of medical care, lack of food, abuse
forced loss of cultural/spiritual practices, disconnection from traditional parenting
reliance on WIC leads to reduced rates of breastfeeding, which leads to increased rates of diabetes
lack of nutritious food leads to increased rates of diabetes and other obesity-related disorders
Relationship between ACEs and poor outcomes (heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, substance abuse, suicide attempts, obesity, tobacco use, and other high-risk behaviors)
Higher rates of mental health issues and suiciddality
Increased rates of disease, due to health inequity and historical trauma
Lack of understanding of indigenous practices and identities