TY - JOUR
T1 - Use of ethnographic methods for applied research on diabetes among the Ojibway-Cree in Northern Ontario
AU - Gittelsohn, Joel
AU - Harris, Stewart B.
AU - Burris, Krista L.
AU - Kakegamic, Louisa
AU - Landman, Laura T.
AU - Sharma, Anjali
AU - Wolever, Thomas M.S.
AU - Logan, Alexander
AU - Barnie, Annette
AU - Zinman, Bernard
PY - 1996
Y1 - 1996
N2 - This article presents the results of applied ethnographic research aimed at developing a community-based diabetes prevention program in an isolated Ojibway-Cree community in northern Ontario. Using qualitative techniques, the authors describe diabetes in its sociocultural context and underlying belief systems that affect related activity and dietary behaviors. Local concepts of food and illness are dichotomized into "Indian" and "white man's" groupings, with Indian foods perceived as healthy and white man's foods felt to be unhealthy. Diabetes is believed to result from consumption of white man's "junk foods" (sugar, soda); some believe the disease can be avoided by eating traditional Indian foods such as game animals (moose, beaver, duck). While dietary linkages to diabetes are recognized, physical activity as a means of controlling obesity and decreasing the risk for diabetes is not part of the local ethnomedical model. This information is being used to develop culturally appropriate health education interventions.
AB - This article presents the results of applied ethnographic research aimed at developing a community-based diabetes prevention program in an isolated Ojibway-Cree community in northern Ontario. Using qualitative techniques, the authors describe diabetes in its sociocultural context and underlying belief systems that affect related activity and dietary behaviors. Local concepts of food and illness are dichotomized into "Indian" and "white man's" groupings, with Indian foods perceived as healthy and white man's foods felt to be unhealthy. Diabetes is believed to result from consumption of white man's "junk foods" (sugar, soda); some believe the disease can be avoided by eating traditional Indian foods such as game animals (moose, beaver, duck). While dietary linkages to diabetes are recognized, physical activity as a means of controlling obesity and decreasing the risk for diabetes is not part of the local ethnomedical model. This information is being used to develop culturally appropriate health education interventions.
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U2 - 10.1177/109019819602300307
DO - 10.1177/109019819602300307
M3 - Article
C2 - 8841820
AN - SCOPUS:0030203152
SN - 1090-1981
VL - 23
SP - 365
EP - 382
JO - Health Education and Behavior
JF - Health Education and Behavior
IS - 3
ER -