Native American and Alaska Native Health and Wellness

• American Indian and Alaska Native Health (MedlinePlus) 
  • MedlinePlus is an online health information resource for patients and their families and friends. It is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest medical library, and a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  On this page, you'll find links to health issues that affect American Indians and Alaska Natives.
• FastStats: Health of American Indian or Alaska Native Population (CDC)
  • Health status, mortality, leading causes of death, births, insurance.
• Healthcare.gov: Health coverage for American Indians and Alaska Natives

  • Information on health coverage through Marketplace plans, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

• National Indian Council on Aging

  • A national organization focused on aging American Indian and Alaska Native elders.  Provides resources on health disparities, indigenous foods for the elderly, culturally competent healthcare and more.

• Native Health Database  
  • The Native Health Database contains bibliographic information and abstracts of health-related articles, reports, surveys, and other resource documents pertaining to the health and health care of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Canadian First Nations. The database provides information for the benefit, use, and education of organizations and individuals with an interest in health-related issues, programs, and initiatives regarding North American indigenous peoples.
• Native American Ethnobotany 
  • A database of plants used as drugs, foods, dyes, fibers, and more, by native Peoples of North America.
• Profile: American Indian/Alaska Native (Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health)
  • These profiles, divided into twelve (12) regions, provide detailed demographic, language fluency (where relevant), education, economic, insurance coverage and health status information, as well as full census reports.  
• Indian Health Service  
  • The Indian Health Service, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services  , is responsible for providing federal health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives.
  • IHS Fact Sheets : The Indian Health Service's "Fact Sheets" contain general overview information on the IHS and on specific healthcare topics concerning American Indian and Alaska Native people.
• National Indian Health Board  
  • The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) represents Tribal governments—both those that operate their own health care delivery systems through contracting and compacting, and those receiving health care directly from the Indian Health Service (IHS).
• Urban Indian Health Institute 
  • UIHI conducts research and evaluation, collects and analyzes data, and provides disease surveillance to strengthen the health of American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Search for articles on Native American Health

• PubMed Search: Native American Health OR Alaskan Natives

• Center for American Indian and Minority Health (University of Minnesota, Duluth Medical School)
  • Provides resources and activities for Native American students spanning K–12, college/pre-med, and medical school. Connecting with tribal communities throughout Ojibwe country to find out which health issues they would like us to investigate.
• Dream of Wild Health

  • The mission of Dream of Wild Health is to restore health and well-being in the Native community by recovering knowledge of and access to healthy Indigenous foods, medicines and lifeways.

• Memory Keepers Medical Discovery Team 
  • The Memory Keepers Medical Discovery Team is focused on understanding the dynamics of diabetes and dementia as interacting conditions among people living in tribal and rural communities.  Located in the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus.
• Minnesota Department of Health
  • American Indian Tribal Governments
  • Populations of Color and American Indians
• Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center
  • The Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center (MIWRC) works with clients and partners to deliver a comprehensive array of services and maintain an extensive referral network to fully meet the needs of the women and families they serve.
    • Programs
      • MIWRC programs provide support, advocacy, and activities that utilize traditional teachings and other cultural strengths to encourage healing, build resilience, and counter the normalization of violence.
• Minneapolis American Indian Center
  • he Minneapolis American Indian Center is a community center in the heart of the American Indian community of Minneapolis. It is one of the oldest Indian centers in the country, founded in 1975. It provides educational and social services to more than 10,000 members of the community annually. 
    • Native Fitness and Nutrition: The Native Fitness and Nutrition (FAN) program works to reduce health disparities in the local American Indian community by reducing the prevalence of obesity and obesity-linked diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
    • Ginew/Golden Eagle: The mission of the Ginew/Golden Eagle Program is to equip American Indian youth with the knowledge to discern healthy choices, and to develop and strengthen life skills that will encourage future success in academics and career pursuits.
• Seeds of Native Health 
  • In 2015, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community formed the Seeds of Native Health campaign to aid grassroots programs and initiatives. The five-year, $11 million national campaign worked to improve Native American nutrition through grant-making, sharing of best practices, capacity-building, sponsored research, advocacy, and educational initiatives. Resources  Research, partners and reports

Books and media available at the University of Minnesota Libraries

Briante, J. (1870). The old root and herb doctor ; or the Indian method of healing. Claremont, N.H.: Granite Book Company.   TC Wangensteen Library  General Collection   615 B76  

Buhner, S. (1996). Sacred plant medicine : Explorations in the practice of indigenous herbalism. Boulder, Colo. : [Emeryville, Calif.]: Roberts Rinehart  ; Distributed in the U.S. by  Group West.  Andersen Horticultural   General Collection   GN477 .B84x 1996  (not loanable)

Carson, D. (2005). Crossing into medicine country : A journey in Native American healing (1st ed.). New York: Arcade Pub. : Distributed by AOL Time Warner Book Group.   Wilson Library   General Collection   BF1611 .C39 2005  

Cohen, K. (2003). Honoring the medicine : The essential guide to Native American healing (1st ed.). New York: Ballantine Books.   Wilson Library General Collection  E98.M4 C64 2003 

Crawford O'Brien, & Ebrary, Inc. (2008). Religion and healing in Native America : Pathways for renewal (Religion, health, and healing). Westport, Conn.: Praeger.   online

Deloria, V. (2006). The world we used to live in : Remembering the powers of the medicine men. Golden, Colo.: Fulcrum Pub.   Wilson Library General Collection  E98.M4 D45 2006 

Densmore, F., & Archive of Folk Song. (1965). Healing songs of the American Indians. (Smithsonian global sound for libraries). Washington, D.C.]: Smithsonian Folkways Records.   Online

Duke, J. (1986). Handbook of northeastern Indian medicinal plants (Bioactive plants ; v. 3). Lincoln, Mass.: Quarterman Publications.  Magrath Library General Collection  QK99 .D85x 1986 

Foreman, Mahoney, & Mahoney, Jas. W. (2018). The Cherokee physician, or, Indian guide to health. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library.    Online

Heape, S., Richie, C., Fisher, H., Howard, G., Anquoe, J., Dilullio, R., . . . Rich-Heape Films. (2009). Native American healing in the 21st century ("Circle of life" series (Rich-Heape Films)). Dallas, Tex.: Rich-Heape Films.  Walter Library   Media Collection (Rm. 206)   E98.M4 N38 2009  

Hearth, A., & Strong Medicine. (2008). "Strong Medicine speaks" : A Native American elder has her say : An oral history (1st Atria Books hardcover ed.). New York: Atria Books.  Wilson Library   General Collection   E99.D2 H437 2008  

Hultkrantz, A. (1992). Shamanic healing and ritual drama : Health and medicine in native North American religious traditions (Health/medicine and the faith traditions). New York: Crossroad.  Wilson Library  General Collection  E98.R3 H825 1992 

Johnson, L. (2019). Wisdom engaged : Traditional knowledge for northern community well-being (First ed., Patterns of Northern traditional healing series v.3). Edmonton, Alberta: Polynya Press, an imprint of University of Alberta Press.    Wilson Library   General Collection   E98.M4 W57 2019 online access

Kavasch, E. (1983). Medicinal plants in American Indian life. Washington]: [Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service].   Andersen Horticultural   General Collection   E98.M4 K38x 1983  

Kavasch, E. (2002). The medicine wheel garden : Creating sacred space for healing, celebration, and tranquility. New York: Bantam Books.   Andersen Horticultural   General Collection   RM666.H33 K393 2002  

Kilpatrick, J., & Kilpatrick, Anna Gritts. (1970). Notebook of a Cherokee Shaman, Smithsonian contributions to anthropology; v. 2, no. 6. Wilson Library General Collection Folio GN1 .S54 v.2 no.6

Kristofic, J. (2019). Medicine women : The story of the first Native American nursing school. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. Online access

Lyon, W., & NetLibrary, Inc. (1996). Encyclopedia of Native American healing. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO.   Wilson Library General Collection  Quarto E98.M4 L96 1996  online access 

Lyon, W. (1998). Encyclopedia of Native American shamanism : Sacred ceremonies of North America. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO.  Wilson Library  General Collection  E98.M4 L98 1998 

Martin, D., & Osterholtz, A. (2016). Bodies and lives in ancient America : Health before Columbus. Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY:  online access

Mehl-Madrona, L. (1998). Coyote medicine : Lessons from Native American healing (1st Fireside ed.). New York: Published by Simon & Schuster.  Health Sciences Library  Storage  WB880 M498c 1997 

Moerman, D. (2009). Native American medicinal plants : An ethnobotanical dictionary. Portland, Or.: Timber Press.   Health Sciences Library  Storage  QV13 M694n 2009 

Null, G. (1998). Secrets of the sacred white buffalo : Native American healing remedies, rites & rituals. Paramus, N.J.: Prentice Hall.  Wilson Library  General Collection  E98.M4 N85 1998 

 Stone, E. (1932). Medicine among the American Indians (Clio medica (New York, N.Y.) ; 7). New York: P.B. Hoeber.  Bio-Medical Library  General Collection  WZ70 DA2 S8m 1932   / Wangensteen Library  OHW Collection  WZ70 DA2 S8m 1932 

Thomassen à Thuessink, E. (1824). Over de ziekten en derzelver behandeling door de wilde Indianen in Noord-Amerika. Amsterdam: A. Vink.   Wangensteen Library  General Collection   610.4 T362  

Trafzer, & Trafzer, Clifford E. (2017). American Indian medicine ways : Spiritual power, prophets, and healing. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press.  Wilson Library  General Collection  E98.R3 A44 2017 

Trafzer, C. (2019). Fighting invisible enemies : Health and medical transitions among Southern California Indians. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.   Wilson Library   General Collection   E78.C15 T734 2019  

Trafzer, Weiner, Trafzer, Clifford E, & Weiner, Diane. (2001). Medicine ways : Disease, health, and survival among Native Americans (Contemporary Native American communities ; v. 6). Walnut Creek, Calif.: AltaMira Press.  Wilson Library  General Collection  E98.M4 M43 2001 

Turner, N., & American Council of Learned Societies. (2014). Ancient pathways, ancestral knowledge : Ethnobotany and ecological wisdom of Indigenous peoples of northwestern North America (McGill-Queen's native and northern series ; 74). Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.  Wilson Library   General Collection   E98.B7 T87 2014  

Vogel, V. (1970). American Indian medicine (1st ed.].. ed., Civilization of the American Indian series; v. 95). Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.  Bio-Medical Library  General Collection  WZ80 V872a 1970   / Wangensteen Library  Reference  WZ80 V872a 1970 

Weiner, M. (1980). Earth medicine--earth food : Plant remedies, drugs, and natural foods of the North American Indians (1st rev. and expanded ed.). New York : London: Macmillan Pub. ; Collier Macmillan.  Andersen Horticultural   General Collection   Quarto E98.M4 W4 1980

Weslager, C. (1973). Magic medicines of the Indians. Somerset, N.J.: Middle Atlantic Press.  IN STORAGE: MN Lib Access Ctr   U of M Twin Cities   615.89 W516  

Whitehead, Heinzen, Mosher, Beane, Olsen, Whitehead, John, . . . Vision Maker Media publisher. (2018). Ohiyesa, the soul of an Indian. United States]: Vision Maker Media.  TC Walter Library  Media Collection (Rm. 206)  E99.S22 O35 2018 

Young, D., Rogers, R., & Willier, R. (2015). A Cree healer and his medicine bundle : Revelations of indigenous wisdom ; healing plants, practices, and stories. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books. Health Sciences Library   General Collection   WZ 100 Y69c 2015