Karina L. Walters, MSW, PhD

HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH FOR NATIVE WOMEN: HIV/AIDS AND NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN

(Choctaw Nation, OK)

Indigenous Wellness Research Institute (iwri.org) University of Washington School of Social Work

Presentation at the 4th Annual HIV/AIDS Conference for Health Professionals: Women of Color Living Positive, Tukwila, Washington, April 20. 2012 Source: Walters,, Beltran, Evans-Campbell,, & Simoni, J.. Keeping our Hearts from Touching the Ground: HIV/AIDS in AIAN Women, Women’s Health Issues, doi:10.1016/j.whi.2011.08.005

A nation is not conquered until the hearts of its women are on the ground. Then it is done, no matter how brave its warriors nor how strong their weapons. --Cheyenne Proverb

To subjugate indigenous Nations the colonizers have to subjugate women within those Nations --Paula Gunn Allen

Survival of Native cultures is integrally linked to Native women and this reality frames the need to protect and respect overall health and wellness, which is currently in a state of crisis

AK

119,241

The ten states with the largest American Indian populations in 2000 WA

158,940

MI 124,412

NY 171,581

CA 627,562

AZ

NM

292,552 191,495

OK 391,949

Chickasaws Choctaw

NC 131,736

Creeks

TX 215,599

Seminoles

URBAN NATIVE WOMEN’S HEALTH  Urban Native women have higher rates of infant mortality, low birth weight, and alcohol and injury -related mortalities compared to rural Native women  Native mothers are 50% more likely to receive delayed or no prenatal care compared to rural Native mothers  Economic vulnerability (27% poverty; 1/3 no health insurance), structural inequality (