Transcript: Allison Kelliher, M.D.

Self treatment with traditional methods leads to delayed care

[Lindberg:]: Do any attitudes in the Native peoples of Alaska stand as obstacles to good health care?
[Kelliher:]: Obstacles, I think I would call them— I think I might call them complicating factors. Certainly so. I think that Alaska Native people are very independent, and when people have complaints they would, it seems to me, oftentimes wish to deal with those issues on their own. And so I think we have a lot of individuals who are treating themselves. I think a lot of people are using traditional remedies, and I think that those are helpful and important to know about. I think that those can also lead to delayed care.