MGH Guides: Native American Health Resources: Representing Native American Health in Medical and Scientific Literature

Library Research Tools

If you want to start search library databases for content regarding Native American communities, you can use the following terms to get started on your search:

PubMed

The PubMed standardized medical subject heading (MeSH) term for Native Americans is "American Indian or Alaska Native"[Mesh]; this should be used for people who have origins in any of the original peoples of North, South and Central Americas, and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment (according to PubMed). Other terms that you can use include American Native Continental Ancestry Group, American Natives, and Native American. Some of the specific tribes and nations are included as their own MeSH terms, such as Alaska Natives, Navajo People and Pima People.

Please note: “Race and ethnicity terms, as used in the federal government, are self-identified social construct and may include terms outdated and offensive in MeSH to assist users who are interested in retrieving comprehensive search results for studies such as in longitudinal studies.” - PubMed

An example search string that you could use could be: ("American Indian or Alaska Native"[Mesh]) AND mental health

CINAHL

In CINAHL, you can try (MH "Native Americans+") or if you're looking at a specific tribe or nation, you can search the CINAHL Subject Headings to see if they are listed separately. The Native Americans term includes results that relate to Indigenous cultural groups in the US. You can always adjust what’s included in the term list in the CINAHL Subject Headings section.

An example search string that you could use could be: (MH "Native Americans+") AND heart disease

Specialized Search Hedges

Search filters (aka search hedges) are pre-drafted lists of terms to help create a focused search strategy. They’re here to help you save time and energy. Simply copy and paste these terms into your search strategy.

Below are a few examples of search filters for Indigenous communities in different databases:

Collection of search filters for Indigenous Peoples of Canada and the World
From the University of Alberta
Indigenous Peoples of Alaska (Medline): Campbell, SM. Filter to Retrieve Studies Related to Indigenous People of Alaska from the OVID Medline Database.
From Geoffrey & Robyn Sperber Health Sciences Library, University of Alberta. Rev. Oct 18, 2016.
Indigenous Peoples of the United States (CINAHL): Campbell, SM. Filter to Retrieve Studies Related to Indigenous People of the United States from the EBSCO CINAHL Database
From Geoffrey & Robyn Sperber Health Sciences Library, University of Alberta. Rev. February 20, 2024.
Indigenous Persons Search Hedges
From Emory University

Writing About Race and Ethnicity

The Reporting of Race and Ethnicity in Medical and Science Journals
For many years and increasingly in the last year, JAMA and the JAMA Network journals have published many important articles addressing disparities and racism in medical education, research, and health care and highlighting initiatives to help address deep-rooted inequities. In these articles, as in others, terminology, usage, and word choice are critically important, especially when describing people and when discussing race and ethnicity. Inclusive language supports diversity and conveys respect. Language that imparts bias toward or against persons or groups based on characteristics or demographics must be avoided.