Mental Health Service and Provider Preferences Among American Indians with Type 2 Diabetes
This article was created while Prof. Benjamin Aronson was part of University of Minnesota's College of Pharmacy in Duluth, MN. The article was published in American Indian & Alaska Native Mental Health Research: The Journal of the National Center in 2016.
Abstract
In this study, we investigated mental health service and provider preferences of American Indian adults with type 2 diabetes from two tribes in the northern Midwest. Preferences were determined and compared by participant characteristics. After controlling for other factors, living on reservation lands was associated with increased odds of Native provider preference, and decreased odds of biomedical service preference. Anxiety also was associated with decreased odds of biomedical service preference. Spiritual activity engagement and past health care discrimination were associated with increased odds of traditional service preference. We discuss implications for the types of mental health services offered and characteristics of providers who are recruited for tribal communities.