Health of Native Americans in the United States

While subject to the same illnesses, Native Americans have higher morbidity and mortality to diabetes and cardiovascular disease as well as certain forms of cancer.

Reduced access to health care in Native American communities means that these diseases as well as infections affect more people for longer periods of time.

In 2010, Native Americans' leading causes of death include "heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries (accidents), diabetes, and stroke".

[dubious – discuss] The commonly lower socioeconomic status limits the ability of many to receive adequate health care and make use of preventive measures.

[9] Data collected by means of secondary sources, such as the US Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, showed that from 1999 to 2009, Alaska Natives and Native Americans had high mortality rates from infectious diseases when compared to the mortality rate of white Americans.

Heart disease occurs in Native American populations at a rate 20 percent greater than all other United States races.

Diabetes began to occur at higher rates among Native Americans in the middle of the twentieth century and has increased into what is called an epidemic.

This study found that the Pimas had diabetes rates 13 times that of population of Rochester, Minnesota, which is predominately European American in ethnicity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also encouraged this approach; in 2013, it produced a public service announcement (PSA), in which Cherokee actors discussed diabetes, and the significance of diet on their increased risk.

Travel to health facilities can be too difficult, given distance, hazardous roads, high rates of poverty, and too few staff in hospitals near reservations.

[26] About 70% of American Indian and Alaska Native men and 60% of the women met the criteria for at least one lifetime DSM IV disorder.

American Indian and Alaskan Native men and women have a higher prevalence of any substance use, mood, and personality disorder, compared to non-Hispanic Whites.

Because of numerous suicides among teens on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, it has been designated as a Promise Zone and the government is sending extra help.

[30] A British Columbia study, published in 2007, reported an inverse correlation between Indigenous youth suicide and use of their heritage language.

[32] Alcohol use disorder is often approached using the disease model of addiction, with biological, neurological, genetic, and environmental sources of origin.

What emerged was a set of beliefs known as "firewater myths" that misrepresented the history, nature, sources and potential solutions to Native alcohol problems.

[45] Native American tribes with a higher level of traditional social integration and less pressure to modernize appear to have fewer alcohol-related problems.

Tribes in which social interactions and family structure are disrupted by modernization and acculturative stress (i.e. young people leaving the community to find work) have higher rates of alcohol use and misuse.

[46] Alaska Natives who follow a more traditional lifestyle have reported greater happiness and less frequent alcohol use for coping with stress.

The overall percentage of Native Americans diagnosed with either HIV or AIDS within the entire United States population is relatively small.

[5] These statistics have multiple suggested causes: Many initiatives have been put in place to combat Native American disease and improve the overall health of this demographic.

[citation needed] As diabetes is one of the utmost concerns of the Native American population, many programs have been initiated to combat this disease.

[54] To realize this vision, the program works with Native American communities, governmental health institutions, other divisions of the CDC, and additional outside partners.

Native American programs in healthcare facilities can receive accreditation and guidance to effectively educate the community concerning diabetes self-management.

By putting out press releases, displaying posters, and holding community events, these groups hope to raise awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

They have identified many areas in which lifestyles of Native Americans need to be changed in order to greatly decrease the prevalence of heart disease and stroke.

Many general health concerns also need to be addressed, according to the CDC's observations, including moderating alcohol use, eliminating tobacco use, maintaining health body weight, regularizing physical activity, diet, and nutrition, preventing and controlling high blood cholesterol, and preventing and controlling high blood pressure.

[26] The Indian Health Service works in collaboration with the University of Arizona College of Medicine to maintain the Native American Cardiology Program.

This is a program that acknowledges the changes in lifestyle and economics in the recent past which have ultimately increased the prevalence of heart attacks, coronary disease, and cardiac deaths.

The Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1986[68] was updated in 2010 to make requirements that the Office of Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse (OIASA), a subdivision of SAMHSA, is to work with federal agencies to assist Native American communities in developing a Tribal Action Plan (TAP).