M29 - Include Indigenous Food and Communities in Diabetes Care: The Navajo Experience

As diabetes care and education specialists (DCES), how do we ensure we are delivering equitable healthcare to Indigenous populations while including their cultural customs and food? There are unique challenges for each Indigenous community, and it is important to recognize the context and history of these challenges to provide equitable healthcare. This session will describe the demographics and social determinants of health for Indigenous people and note the importance of realizing the great variability within this population. The presenter will share her experience as a Diné/Navajo Registered Dietitian and DCES on the Navajo Reservation, and the strategies she has used to support her patients in making healthy behavior changes.