| Culturally congruent healthcare improves patient outcomes and decreases morbidity and mortality rates. The problem addressed in this study was a lack of academic research about the phenomenon of the lived experience of Native American women with breast cancer. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the nature and components of breast cancer from the perspective of Native American women. Research questions in this study investigated culturally congruent healthcare and sense of well-being, suffering, and meaning of life post illness as perceived by Native American women with breast cancer. Cultural care diversity and universality, caring, and health-within-illness theories provided the theoretical basis for this study. A purposive sample of 15 adult Native American women tribal members living in Montana underwent in-depth, face-to-face interviews. Collected data were grouped into categories and analyzed for common themes using Moustakas's modified van Kaam method of analysis. The findings of this study revealed that explanatory, compassionate healthcare providers who took into consideration Native American culture and an associated cultural tendency to want to have family present during treatment positively influenced the participants' sense of well-being. Analysis also revealed that the participants felt that rude and uncompassionate healthcare providers caused suffering. Providing culturally congruent nursing care could increase a sense of well-being, reduce suffering, and decrease morbidity and mortality rates reported among Native Americans---and perhaps other non-European cultures within the United States---thus decreasing disparities in healthcare outcomes among minority populations. |
