Attitudes Toward Native Americans and First Nations People Among Athletic Trainers: A Pilot Study

Current literature suggests that Native Americans and First Nations people experience health care disparities relative to other ethnic and racial groups. Previous studies have shown that there are healthcare disparities experienced by this population. As healthcare providers who will potentially treat pediatric or young adult Native American and First Nations patients, it is important to understand the attitudes of athletic trainers toward this population. Therefore, the purpose of this pilot study was to describe the attitudes and opinions of athletic trainers toward Native Americans and First Nations people. A secondary purpose was to provide feedback and future suggestions for the use of the scale with healthcare providers. A total of 42 credentialed athletic trainers participated in this study (age= 39 ± 14 years, certified experience = 16 ± 14 years). Participants were sent an email containing a link to an electronic survey that gathered data on demographics, and Attitudes Toward Native Americans Scale scores, which uses a 6-point scale to assess the level of agreement of both positive and negative statements towards Native American and First Nations people. Measures of central tendency (means, standard deviations, frequencies) were calculated where appropriate. Pearson Correlations were used to assess correlations between age, years of experiences, the total score on the Attitudes Toward Native American Scale and the scores on individual questions on the Attitudes Toward Native American Scale. Independent samples t-tests were performed to assess for differences in attitudes based on gender, race, ethnicity, setting, and level of education. The data analysis yielded 65 significant correlations. In general, athletic trainers who agreed with a positive statement about Native Americans and First Nations people were more likely to agree with positive statements. Athletic trainers who agree with a negative statement about Native American and First Nations people were more likely to agree with other negative statements. There were no significant differences between groups on total score on the Attitudes Toward Native American Scale, or specific statements on the scale. Future research should examine athletic trainers’ knowledge contemporary, historical, and sports medicine issues specific to Native American and First Nations patients. Future research should also examine the causes of the correlations found in this pilot study and attempt to assess a large sample of the athletic training population.