An examination of stress among Aboriginal women and men with diabetes in Manitoba, Canada

Abstract

In this study, a series of focus groups were conducted to gain an understanding of the nature of stress among Canadian Aboriginal women and men living with diabetes. Specifically, attention was given to the meanings Aboriginal peoples with diabetes attach to their lived experiences of stress, and the major sources or causes of stress in their lives. The key common themes identified are concerned not only with health‐related issues (i.e. physical stress of managing diabetes, psychological stress of managing diabetes, fears about the future, suffering the complications of diabetes, and financial aspects of living with diabetes), but also with marginal economic conditions (e.g. poverty, unemployment); trauma and violence (e.g. abuse, murder, suicide, missing children, bereavement); and cultural, historical, and political aspects linked to the identity of being Aboriginal (e.g. ‘deep‐rooted racism’, identity problems). These themes are, in fact, acknowledged not as mutually exclusive, but as intertwined. Furthermore, the findings suggest that it is important to give attention to diversity in the Aboriginal population. Specifically, Métis‐specific stressors, as well as female‐specific stressors, were identified. An understanding of stress experienced by Aboriginal women and men with diabetes has important implications for policy and programme planning to help eliminate or reduce at‐risk stress factors, prevent stress‐related illnesses, and enhance their health and life quality.

Keywords:

• Stress
• Aboriginal Peoples
• First Nations
• Métis People
• Diabetes

Notes

Correspondence to: Yoshi Iwasaki, PhD, Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation Studies, Health, Leisure & Human Performance Research Institute, 102 Frank Kennedy Centre, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2. Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]; Email: [email protected]

According to Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada (2002), ‘The Constitution Act of 1982 recognizes three main groups of Aboriginal peoples in Canada: the First Nations, the Inuit, and the Métis … First Nations describes all Aboriginal people in Canada who are not Inuit or Métis … Inuit are Aboriginal people who live in Canada’s North, which includes Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Northern Quebec and Labrador … Many early French fur traders and some English traders married First Nations women. Their descendants are called the Métis people' (pp. 14–15).

Originally, four focus groups were planned including a male Métis group. However, despite the research team's desperate effort to locate Métis men with diabetes, a sufficient number of these men who met the participant criteria could not be identified. Thus, only three focus groups were conducted. At the times of focus group sessions, only eight, nine, and nine people showed up and then participated in the focus groups for First Nations women with diabetes, First Nations men with diabetes, and Métis women with diabetes, respectively.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yoshi Iwasaki

Correspondence to: Yoshi Iwasaki, PhD, Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation Studies, Health, Leisure & Human Performance Research Institute, 102 Frank Kennedy Centre, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2. Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]; Email: [email protected]