Catherine E. McKinley, PhD, LMSW

Centering Sex and Gender in Indigenous Health Equity Research

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Dr. McKinley’s funded research focuses on promoting health equity for Indigenous peoples (American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiians) while centering sex and gender differences. Her clinical trial research focuses on developing and testing a culturally relevant and family centered intervention (the Weaving Healthy Families, or Chukka Achaffi’ Natana) Program). This program promotes health and wellness while preventing the underlying causes of premature mortality and morbidity among Indigenous peoples, namely alcohol and other drug use and violence. This intervention incorporates Indigenous health and nutrition, along with mHealth digital enhancements to improve the program’s uptake and effectiveness. Along with examining sex differences related to the effect and uptake of the intervention, sex differences related to social determinants of health related to cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic health problems are focal to this work.