Equity in health care is a basic right for all Americans. The need to reduce inequities in health for American Indians is a daunting challenge for policy makers, health care providers and community stakeholders. American Indians have the highest prevalence of obesity of any group, among the highest rate of type 2 diabetes in the world and have a higher per capita rate of violent victimization at than any other group. This interdisciplinary summit addresses the centrality of obesity, diabetes and violence as major public health problems for this high risk population. Specifically this conference will: (1) identify key advancements in the state of the science' in dominant western health care related to obesity, diabetes and violence, (2) discuss these public health problems within the context of cultural, psychosocial and environmental determinants of health and illness from a traditional American Indian perspective, (3) examine the use of culturally appropriate best practice models of care through strategies to integrate dominant western health care and traditional wisdom of indigenous people, (4) incorporate spirituality as an inclusive dimension of health, disease and healing, and (5) describe future directions of the health of American Indians as outlined by the American Indian leadership group This Summit to bridge the cultural canyon will provide a forum for researchers and practitioners embedded in dominant culture health care to interact with Indian and non-Indian health providers. In panel discussions, American Indian leadership and researchers on disparities in Indian health care related to obesity, diabetes and violence will outline guidelines to help shape future directions for the delivery of optimal levels of health care for the first Americans. The Summit will provide an opportunity for students to network with American Indian role models and non- Indian researchers and clinicians in the fields of obesity, diabetes and violence. This conference will be convened at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The target audience will include 200 University partners, health professionals, program coordinators, Tribal leaders, community health leaders, federal agencies, American Indian students within and outside of Tribal Colleges and others who want to become more informed about the unique health care issues of American Indians. Outcomes of the summit include; dissemination of the proceedings and articles in the American Journal of Nursing and Journal of Transcultural Nursing and posting on the Indian Health Services and School of Nursing web sites
