10/30/2019 0 Comments Day 5Our first meeting of the day was with Councilwoman Vanessa Harper, who represents a large district in North Tulsa, where the average lifespan is 12 years shorter than the lifespans of those who live in the more affluent, white dominated South Tulsa. Councilwoman Harper shared with us how she recognized that limited access to healthy food options was a large factor contributing to this disparity in her community. Not a single grocery store exists in North Tulsa. Rather, dollar stores packed with frozen foods and non-perishable goods proliferate-- a rare phenomenon in South Tulsa. In 2016, Councilwoman Harper decided to run to represent the needs of her constituents in North Tulsa, needs that if addressed, could improve the quality of life and lifespan. She fought to put stricter zoning laws on dollar stores and set up a grocery store in her district, but received huge pushback. With the support of community members she was able to make this huge change in her district. And neighborhoods like her district in North Tulsa across the country are now putting in place similar policies to limit dollar tree expansion and encourage the development and growth of grocery stores. It was so inspiring to hear from the Councilwoman and hear the story of her ongoing struggle to advocate for her community. Our next stop was with the department of American Indians in Medicine and Science at Oklahoma State University. There we were able to meet with representatives from the program including program director Jacque Hensley, Dr. Kent Smith, and Dr. Denna Wheeler. Dr. Wheeler shared a powerpoint with us outlining the history of Native American Healthcare in Oklahoma and the current state of affairs across the Oklahoma tribes today. The state of Oklahoma, especially in the areas of tribal designated lands, has some of the worst health outcomes in the United States. Over the years, Native populations have worked to address this by building tribal hospital facilities which receive IHS funds but are run and operated by tribes who can additionally dedicate alternative funds. These tribal hospitals meet the funding gap of IHS facilities and increase accessibility to health services within communities, and often take a more holistic healthcare approach. Further, communities are working to increase the number of practicing Native physicians to staff their hospitals, like the three OSU medical students we met with, who have been involved at the receiving end of these efforts. As they led us on a tour of the OSU medical school facilities, the students mentioned that, as one of the most underrepresented racial groups in the physician workforce, one of the largest personal barriers was understanding that being a physician was possible. Seeing physicians who looked like they do was key to the development of this confidence. As OSU has recently contracted with the Cherokee Nation to build the nation’s first tribal affiliated medical school, these efforts will certainly increase the number of physicians who not just serve Native populations, but are Native Americans themselves. It was cool to speak with these current med school students and learn about the osteopathic approach that their training has given them in hopes of helping them better serve their communities. We spent the end of our day on an outing to the Oklahoma Aquarium and enjoyed a spaghetti dinner cooked by Arianne, Erin, Brayan, and Jessica! Nivida
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This trip aims to explore Native American experiences with healthcare in the US, including both the prominent issues and the solutions being worked towards. The trip will take place in Tulsa, a city that approximately 30,000 Native Americans call home, as well as on the Osage Nation, a Native American reservation just outside of Tulsa. By talking to various community partners from the University of Tulsa, to Non-Government Organizations, to healthcare providers, we will aim to hear from various perspectives to begin to gather an understanding of what it means to be a Native American seeking healthcare in the United States today.AuthorNatasha Thomas '20 |