Profession
AAMC honors American Indian health advocate
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Aug. 14, 2006
The Assn. of American Medical Colleges recognized Spero M. Manson, PhD, a psychiatry professor at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center and a Pembina Chippewa, for his work promoting justice in medical education and health care among American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Dr. Manson, who founded and now directs the university's American Indian and Alaska Native Programs, is the seventh recipient of the Herbert W. Nickens Award.
The American Indian and Alaska Native Programs are known for their work partnering with more than 100 native communities across the country to provide research, program development, training and health care within rural, reservation, urban and village settings.
Among Dr. Manson's other accomplishments is research showing that American Indian and Alaska Native military veterans who participated in tribal healing rituals were less likely to experience posttraumatic stress disorders than those who didn't. In 1998, these findings, along with Dr. Manson's advocacy efforts, moved the Veterans Health Administration to compensate American Indian and Alaska Native tribes for performing these ceremonies.
Dr. Manson also developed telemedicine partnerships among tribes, resulting in weekly psychiatric clinics for veterans living in 12 isolated communities.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/08/14/prbf0814.htm.
