The Convergence of Science and Culture: Developing a Framework for Diabetes Education in Tribal Communities

Authors

Michelle Chino Dr, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Carolee Dodge Francis, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Lemyra DeBruyn, Centers for Disease Control, Native Diabetes Wellness ProgramFollow
Lynn Short, Analytic Systems Associates, Inc.
Dawn Satterfield, Centers for Disease Control, Division of Diabetes TranslationFollow

Keywords

Alaska Natives; American Indians; Children; Cultural competence; Diabetes – Prevention; Diabetes – Study and teaching; Diabetes education; Disparities; Health education; Indians of North America; Native science

Disciplines

Community-Based Research | Community Health and Preventive Medicine | Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism | Inequality and Stratification | Public Health | Public Health Education and Promotion | Race and Ethnicity

Abstract

In an unprecedented effort to address the epidemic of diabetes in tribal communities, the Diabetes Education in Tribal Schools project brought together a group of individuals from eight tribal colleges and three federal agencies to develop a diabetes prevention curriculum for American Indian and Alaska Native school children. The curriculum incorporates Western and Native science with culturally responsive teaching techniques. Both the project and its evaluation process have reached beyond conventional bounds to acknowledge fundamental issues of tribal culture, history and health and the integration of science, culture, and community. This article will discuss the challenges and rewards of the inter-cultural dynamics of the project’s development process, the tribal community context within which the curriculum will be implemented, and the necessary convergence of science and culture, requisite for education in this population and the elimination of diabetes-related health disparities.

Recommended Citation

Chino, Michelle Dr; Dodge Francis, Carolee; DeBruyn, Lemyra; Short, Lynn; and Satterfield, Dawn (2007) "The Convergence of Science and Culture: Developing a Framework for Diabetes Education in Tribal Communities," Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice: Vol. 1: Iss. 3, Article 7.
Available at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/jhdrp/vol1/iss3/7