Zuni American Indians, Essay Example

Group Collaboration Paper

The Zuni Pueblo is located in a scenic valley in New Mexico, approximately 150 miles from the city of Albuquerque, and is comprised of 450,000 acres of land. The community is located in McKinley and Cibola counties. Based upon the results of the windshield survey, many housing units require repair and there are inconsistencies regarding the sizes of lots on which these homes are located. The primary means of transportation in and out of the town is Highway 53, and many secondary roads are paved for driving. There are many pedestrians observed and public transportation does not appear to be an option for locals. A clinic/hospital is located within the community, in addition to a school, a social service office, and an employment office. No large industrial employers are present, and local law enforcement agencies are centrally located within the community. Members of this population are of Zuni descent, of Christian origin, and face critical health challenges, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and alcoholism. The following discussion will address these health concerns in order to obtain guidance regarding the development of health promotion activities for this area.

Community Needs

The most prevalent community health needs are based upon state-based and national statistics that demonstrate the significance of childhood obesity as a significant health concern (Bryan, 2013). This process supports the need for a health promotion program to target childhood obesity in Zuni Pueblo in order to improve lifestyle choices for local residents. Existing community services may play a role in improving outcomes for local residents through the Teen Health Center and the Zuni Wellness Center (Pueblo of Zuni, 1999). These programs may serve as key facilitators in supporting health promotion objectives for local residents. Furthermore, diabetes must also be addressed through health promotion, as it is one of the leading causes of death within the county (UNM Health Sciences Center, 2014).

Health Promotion

Promoting greater health and wellbeing in Zuni Pueblo requires an effective understanding of the economic challenges that this community faces in order to alleviate the concerns associated with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and kidney disease within the community (Shah et.al, 2014). Community health workers must be available to provide support to local residents in identifying health concerns and supporting an organized approach to treatment that will contribute to effective outcomes for members of this community (Shah et.al, 2014). These challenges pose a serious risk to the health and wellbeing of Zuni Pueblo residents, given the lack of knowledge that is evident and the limited resources that are available to support this community in managing their health and wellbeing more effectively (Shah et.al, 2014). Therefore, cultural competence, improved access to screening tools, and other barriers must be lifted in order to accomplish the desired objectives, while also considering other tools that might be available to support this endeavor (Shah et.al, 2014).

Conclusion

Health promotion within Zuni Pueblo requires a strategic approach that identifies current issues through the windshield survey, accompanied by specific factors that will enable this group to improve their health and wellbeing. However, cultural needs and expectations must also be recognized and supported in order to accomplish these objectives. A successful health promotion initiative requires the development of specific programmatic efforts that capture the essence of the Native American culture and the opportunities that are available to improve trust and relationships with members of this community.

References

Bryan, S.M. (2013). NM officials concerned about childhood obesity Retrieved from http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_22728331/childhood-obesity-rise-nm

County Health Report Cards. Engaging in Communities to Serve the People of New Mexico. UNM Health Service Center. Retrieved from http://hsc.unm.edu/community/InTheCommunity/common/docs/CountyReportsFY13.pdf

Pueblo of Zuni. Tribal Programs. Retrieved from http://www.ashiwi.org/programs.aspx

Shah, V.O., Ghahate, D.M., Bobelu, J., Sandy, P., Newman, S., Helitzer, D.L., Faber, T., and Zager, P. (2014). Identifying barriers to health care to reduce health disparity in Zuni Indians using focus group conducted by community health workers. Clinical and Translational Science, 7(1), 6-11.