What do providers need to know about American Indian culture? Recommendations from urban Indian family caregivers

This qualitative study aims to identify what urban American Indian family caregivers think that health and education providers who work with children with chronic conditions should know about Indian culture. The volunteer, convenience sample included 30 American Indian families (27 Ojibwe; 2 Lakota; 1 Dakota) in a large Midwestern city who care for children (ages 3-12) with chronic conditions. In-home, semi-structured interviews were conducted with each child's family caregivers. Content analytic techniques were used to identify and categorize the topics that family caregivers thought providers should know about Indian culture. Participants emphasized that providers need to know about: 1) Mongolian birth marks, 2) the role and importance of extended family members in the child's care, 3) traditional health beliefs and healing practices, and 4) cultural communication patterns. We recommend that health and education providers be familiar with Mongolian birth marks, include extended family members in the child's care, communicate respectfully with families, and inquire about, understand, and respect traditional health beliefs and practices.