Yesterday, we went to Western University to learn about diabetes and what we can do to prevent it. We also learned about family practice in Medicine and advice we can give the doctors.
The ideal physician patient relationship would be: having a relationship that is personal, but not uncomfortable. For example, my doctor asks me questions about how I am doing and has a friendly conversation with me from time to time, rather than just a basic check-up or physical. It is nice to have a little talk with my physician, just to feel more comfortable being around them.
Cultural information that doctors should know about their patients is family history in their genes or tribe. This is important to know just in case the patient is diagnosed with something that isn’t related to their personal medical history, they can connect the information with that of the family and ethnic history.
Questions that doctors should ask about Native Culture and Health are: (1) What are the common problems or diseases that have occurred to your family and background that we should be aware about? (2) What lifestyle do you have on the Rez compared to the city [diet, surroundings, activites, etc] that may be the cause of poor health?
I have had a good experience with medical treatment when I had surgery back in 2010. My nurse would always check up on me every now and then, and she was always available to help me on my way to the restroom (because I couldn’t walk well due to the surgery). All the nurses and doctors would be willing to help me whenever I needed help, which made me feel safe and important. That was a wonderful experience that I had with medical treatment.
nativeyouth2college.org 