Work, worksites, and wellbeing among North American Indian women: a qualitative study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand what factors influenced work-family balance and related health behaviors among a sample of rural North American Indian women. We interviewed 89 women through both in-depth interviews and focus groups across four tribal communities in the American Southwest and Upper Midwest between July 2010 and August 2011. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for emerging themes related to work- family demands placed on women and resources available to cope with those demands. Three prominent themes emerged: structural characteristics (the context of rural reservation life), role stressors (women's multiple and conflicting roles) and the influence of social support (communal nature of care in the family and institutional support in the workplace). We found that women in participating rural reservation communities often acted as primary caregivers for both immediate and extended family, and often placed the needs of others before themselves. The context of rural reservations, with high rates of unemployment, poverty, and chronic illnesses associated with the collective trauma of colonization, placed high demands on female caregivers. Social support from within the workplace, family, and cultural traditions helped some female caregivers balance the demands of home and work. Tribal worksites could be a resource for promoting health and work-life balance by being responsive to the particular demands placed on women that often interfere with engaging in positive health behaviors in general and tribal wellness programs in particular.

Wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples in Canada, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and the United States: A Systematic Review

“…Of the included studies, 41 [ 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 , 100 , 101 , 102 , 103 , 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 , 108 , 109 , 110 , 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 115 , 116 , 117 , 118 , 119 ] papers related to the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples in the United States. The United States comprises of different Indigenous groups (American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians) [ 2 , 120 ], with unique cultures and languages.…”

“…The importance of culture to the wellbeing of the Indigenous peoples in the United States was reported by 30 papers [ 79 , 80 , 81 , 83 , 85 , 86 , 88 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 , 101 , 103 , 105 , 106 , 107 , 111 , 113 , 114 , 115 , 116 , 117 , 118 , 119 ]. Culture confers Indigenous peoples in the United States a sense of identity [ 94 ], pride [ 94 , 114 ] and strength [ 88 ].…”

OPREVENT (Obesity Prevention and Evaluation of InterVention Effectiveness in NaTive North Americans): Design of a Multilevel, Multicomponent Obesity Intervention for Native American Adults and Households

“…Team members identified local worksites and schools, the health clinic, the tribal council, the local casino, and gas stations nearby and by driving or walking on foot, we introduced ourselves to community stakeholders and invited them to participate. For more information on the details of our formative assessment methodology, please refer to previously published articles by Gadhoke et al (51), Gadhoke et al (52), and Christiansen et al (53).…”

“…In addition, we conducted paired-child interviews at tribal health centers (with children pairs and child–adult pairs) specifically for the school component. For more information on the formative assessments, please refer to Gadhoke et al (52) and Christiansen et al (53).…”

“…Key findings from the formative phase have been published elsewhere. These include a summary of children acting as change agents for adult food and PA in NA households in the Upper Midwest (51) and a qualitative study on women's coping strategies for obesity risk–reducing behaviors in NA households (52, 53). Findings from these analyses helped to inform the structure of the school component to focus on children as change agents, as well as to guide the development of specific intervention messages such as working together with friends and family to improve household food and PA habits.…”