American Indian Women’s Health Perceptions and Health Promotion Behaviors
type: CreativeWork
description: Background: Most problems affecting the health of American Indian women are related to lifestyles and health-related behaviors (Carter, Morse, Giruad, & Driskell, 2008; Linsley, Kane, & Owen, 2011). Understanding health promotion behaviors could decrease or prevent a number of chronic diseases that afflict the American Indian population; however, little is known about how American Indian women perceive illness, how they promote their health within the context of their culture, and the barriers they face. Purpose: This study was designed to develop knowledge about the health perceptions and health promoting behaviors of American Indian women residing within the Chickasaw Nation boundaries in Oklahoma. Design and Methods: Grounded theory was used to generate a conceptual model that advances understanding of American Indian women’s health perceptions and health promoting behaviors. Focus group interviews were conducted with registered American Indian women residing within the Chickasaw Nation boundaries in Oklahoma to address their definitions of health, efforts to promote health, and barriers to health promotion. Data Analysis: Audio-recorded focus group interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed according to the methodologies of Glaser and Strauss (1967) using comparative analysis. Results: Thirty-three participants from five tribes took part in one of five focus groups. Participants identified eight major themes that influenced health and their health promoting behaviors. Themes included definitions of health and not health, contributors to poor health, strategies to promote health, health promotion support, motivation for health promotion, barriers to health promotion, and changes that would promote health. The resulting model reflects the strategies used and barriers that American Indian women face when promoting their health. Conclusions: Understanding health promotion behaviors in America Indian women could influence health-promoting behaviors and decreas…
abstract: Background: Most problems affecting the health of American Indian women are related to lifestyles and health-related behaviors (Carter, Morse, Giruad, & Driskell, 2008; Linsley, Kane, & Owen, 2011). Understanding health promotion behaviors could decrease or prevent a number of chronic diseases that afflict the American Indian population; however, little is known about how American Indian women perceive illness, how they promote their health within the context of their culture, and the barriers they face. Purpose: This study was designed to develop knowledge about the health perceptions and health promoting behaviors of American Indian women residing within the Chickasaw Nation boundaries in Oklahoma. Design and Methods: Grounded theory was used to generate a conceptual model that advances understanding of American Indian women’s health perceptions and health promoting behaviors. Focus group interviews were conducted with registered American Indian women residing within the Chickasaw Nation boundaries in Oklahoma to address their definitions of health, efforts to promote health, and barriers to health promotion. Data Analysis: Audio-recorded focus group interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed according to the methodologies of Glaser and Strauss (1967) using comparative analysis. Results: Thirty-three participants from five tribes took part in one of five focus groups. Participants identified eight major themes that influenced health and their health promoting behaviors. Themes included definitions of health and not health, contributors to poor health, strategies to promote health, health promotion support, motivation for health promotion, barriers to health promotion, and changes that would promote health. The resulting model reflects the strategies used and barriers that American Indian women face when promoting their health. Conclusions: Understanding health promotion behaviors in America Indian women could influence health-promoting behaviors and decreas…
author: Boothe-Kepple, Sharon
keywords: American Indian, health perceptions, health promotion, vulnerable populations, women
date published: 2015-04-09T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:41:20Z
provider: University of San Diego
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of San Diego