Indian women from a Northwest coastal tribe were noted to have a high prevalence rate of duodenal ulcer, about four times greater than that for non-Indian women and above the rate of occurrence in Southwestern Indians. The authors analyze this high rate in light of the cultural heritage and current acculturation stresses, discussing the historical role of Northwest Indian women in a matrilineal culture and pressures on the Indian woman who lives in a minority-group/poverty-level community.Abstract Teaser