Barriers to Native American Women Veterans’ Health Care Access on TwoReservations: Northern Cheyenne and Flathead

• Main Author: Al Masarweh, Luma Issa
• Format: Others
• Published: BYU ScholarsArchive 2014
• Subjects: Sociology
• Online Access: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/5236; https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6235&context=etd

Little research has addressed the needs of Native American veterans. This study aims to provide a better understanding of Native American women veterans’ experiences using data from the Veteran Administration and Indian Health Services. Fifteen interviews were conducted with special attention to quality and quantity of health and mental health care services available to veterans, the barriers and local contextual factors in accessing and utilizing services, and potential solutions to service gaps for women veterans from two Montana reservations, the Northern Cheyenne and Flathead Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. American Indians and Alaska Natives serve at a higher rate in the U.S military than any other population. Native American women veterans identified many barriers to accessing care, some of which include lack of information regarding eligibility and the type of services available. Many found the application process to be confusing and difficult. Other barriers included distance, cost of travel, and conflict with their work schedule. This research provides important data about Native American veterans who are often underrepresented in survey research and are a rapidly growing segment of the United States military and veteran population.