IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v22y2025i3p445-d1614112.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

“Understand the Way We Walk Our Life”: Indigenous Patients’ Experiences and Recommendations for Healthcare in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Melissa E. Lewis

    (Department of Family and Community Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA)

  • Ivy Blackmore

    (Independent Researcher, St. Louis, MO 63124, USA)

  • Martina L. Kamaka

    (Department of Native Hawaiian Health, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA)

  • Sky Wildcat

    (Independent Researcher, Salina, OK 74635, USA)

  • Amber Anderson-Buettner

    (Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Hudson College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA)

  • Elizabeth Modde

    (Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Brown University Health, Providence, RI 02906, USA)

  • Laurelle Myhra

    (Mino Bimaadiziwin Wellness Clinic, Minneapolis, MN 55404, USA)

  • Jamie B. Smith

    (Department of Family and Community Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA)

  • Antony L. Stately

    (Native American Community Clinic, Minneapolis, MN 55404, USA)

Abstract

Background: The quality of healthcare experiences for Indigenous communities is worse when compared to non-Indigenous patients. Bias and discrimination within healthcare systems relate to worsened care and worsened health outcomes for Indigenous patients. The purpose of this study was to learn about the experiences of Indigenous people within healthcare settings, as well as their viewpoints for improving healthcare delivery to this population. Methods: Indigenous research methods were employed in this study as clinic administrators and staff, elders, and Indigenous researchers collaborated on the study purpose, design, and analysis. Twenty Indigenous patients participated in one of four focus groups regarding their experiences with healthcare systems. Results: Seven main themes emerged, highlighting participants’ experiences during health encounters, in relation to healthcare systems, and Indigenous health beliefs. Participants discussed challenges and barriers in each area and offered recommendations for care delivery to this population. Conclusions: Participants in this study highlighted that biased care results in poor quality of healthcare delivery and that there are actionable steps that providers and systems of healthcare can take to reduce bias within healthcare systems. The provision of culturally congruent care is imperative in improving the health and well-being of Indigenous communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Melissa E. Lewis & Ivy Blackmore & Martina L. Kamaka & Sky Wildcat & Amber Anderson-Buettner & Elizabeth Modde & Laurelle Myhra & Jamie B. Smith & Antony L. Stately, 2025. "“Understand the Way We Walk Our Life”: Indigenous Patients’ Experiences and Recommendations for Healthcare in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(3), pages 1-19, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:3:p:445-:d:1614112
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/3/445/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/3/445/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nelson, Sarah E. & Wilson, Kathi, 2018. "Understanding barriers to health care access through cultural safety and ethical space: Indigenous people's experiences in Prince George, Canada," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 21-27.
    2. Melissa E. Lewis & Hannah I. Volpert-Esmond & Jason F. Deen & Elizabeth Modde & Donald Warne, 2021. "Stress and Cardiometabolic Disease Risk for Indigenous Populations throughout the Lifespan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-24, February.
    3. Kimberly Matheson & Ann Seymour & Jyllenna Landry & Katelyn Ventura & Emily Arsenault & Hymie Anisman, 2022. "Canada’s Colonial Genocide of Indigenous Peoples: A Review of the Psychosocial and Neurobiological Processes Linking Trauma and Intergenerational Outcomes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-28, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ray, Lana & Wylie, Lloy & Corrado, Ann Marie, 2022. "Shapeshifters, systems thinking and settler colonial logic: Expanding the framework of analysis of Indigenous health equity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    2. Chakanyuka, Christina & Bacsu, Juanita-Dawne R. & DesRoches, Andrea & Dame, Jessy & Carrier, Leah & Symenuk, Paisly & O'Connell, Megan E. & Crowshoe, Lynden & Walker, Jennifer & Bourque Bearskin, Lisa, 2022. "Indigenous-specific cultural safety within health and dementia care: A scoping review of reviews," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    3. John, Jodi & Castleden, Heather, 2025. "“Because you love us as much as we love you”: The role of community relationships in facilitating Indigenous engagement in healthcare," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 365(C).
    4. Carla Vanessa Alves Lopes & Seema Mihrshahi & John Hunter & Rimante Ronto & Renee Cawthorne, 2024. "Co-Designing Research for Sustainable Food Systems and Diets with Aboriginal Communities: A Study Protocol," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(3), pages 1-12, March.
    5. Simon Graham & Nicole M. Muir & Jocelyn W. Formsma & Janet Smylie, 2023. "First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples Living in Urban Areas of Canada and Their Access to Healthcare: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(11), pages 1-18, May.
    6. Morton Ninomiya, Melody E. & Tanner, Bryan & Peach, Laura J. & George, Ningwakwe & Plain, Sara & George, Tracey & Graham, Kathryn & Bernards, Sharon & Brubacher, Laura Jane & Wells, Samantha, 2022. "Anishinabek sources of strength: Learning from First Nations people who have experienced mental health and substance use challenges," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).
    7. Anika Sehgal & Cheryl Barnabe & Lynden (Lindsay) Crowshoe, 2022. "Patient complexity assessment tools containing inquiry domains important for Indigenous patient care: A scoping review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(8), pages 1-15, August.
    8. Hayden Haynes & Theresa McCarthy & Corinne Abrams & Melissa E. Lewis & Rodney C. Haring, 2024. "Revisiting One of the Oldest Orphanages, Asylums, and Indigenous Residential Boarding Schools: The Thomas Indian School at Seneca Nation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(9), pages 1-14, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:3:p:445-:d:1614112. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.