Book recommendation: Healthcare & Native Americans?

August 23, 2009 7:21 PM

Asking on behalf of G.F.: Is there a good book about Healthcare & Native Americans in the United States?

My girlfriend is looking for a book as a gift to a co-worker on the topic of health care and Native Americans. Have you read one that you would recommend?

posted by justkevin to writing & language (5 comments total)

Native Americans and the US health care system? Native American health issues?
posted by Piscean at 8:34 PM on August 23

More to the former, I think. But if you know of a good book on the latter, feel free to suggest it.
posted by justkevin at 9:03 PM on August 23

I haven't read it myself, but The Scalpel and the Silver Bear is supposed to be interesting. It's the autobiography of the first Navajo woman to become a surgeon in the U.S. medical system.
posted by infinitywaltz at 9:19 PM on August 23

There's a government site that you might find interesting- it addresses several issues regarding health care for Native Americans and the government response to Native American health care needs. Also there is mention of the first Native American MD. Hope it helps

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/if_you_knew/if_you_knew_01.html

One of it's links is probably http://www.ihs.gov/ which is the Indian Health Services site (part of the government's Health and Human Services department).
posted by Piscean at 10:56 AM on August 24

My mom's recommendation: "Promises to keep: Public health policy for American Indians and Alaska Natives in the 21st Century". Edited by Mim Dixon and Yvette Roubideaux, published by the American Public Health Association in 2001.
posted by 6550 at 7:00 PM on August 24