PROMOTING HEALTH AWARENESS AMONG  AMERICAN INDIAN YOUTHS.

Vaccinations in American Indian

According to the CDC, American Indians children received the recommended doses of vaccines with at least 90% of children receiving vaccines for MMR, Hepatitis B, and DTaP. American Indians still contract preventable communicable diseases such as meningitis, varicella, influenza, HPV, and Hepatitis A & B-ALL of which are preventable diseases through immunization. American Indians exceeded the national 2010 goal of 90% for children aged 19-35 months who received immunizations. The high immunization rates for American Indians s attributed to the efforts of the Indian Health Service. If you or someone you know needs to receive vaccinations please contact your local Indian Health Service Tribal and Urban Health Care Center, Local Health Department, or Vaccines for Children Provider –ALL vaccinations for children ages 0-18yrs are provided FREE of charge to American Indians through a Vaccines for Children Provider

Geographical Location of American Indian

There are approximately 563 American Indians tribes across the United States. Approximately 1/3 of American Indians live on reservations, while the majority of the population lives off of reservations. American Indians reside throughout the United States with the highest population of Native Americans residing in Alaska, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Washington

Nutrition &Diet

American Indians have high prevalence rates of Diabetes, Cancer, and Heart Disease due to unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles. American Indians often consume foods that are high in sodium, fat, and starches leading to obesity. Many American Indians consume food provided by the federal government which are very high in starches and have little nutritional value. To promote a healthy lifestyle American Indians should increase their intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. American Indians decrease intake of fried foods.

American Indian Sexual and Mental Health Statistical Analyzes.

American Indian and Alaska Native women have the highest rates of intimate partner violence compared to all other groups. According to the National Violence against Women survey, about 1 in 3 American Indian and Alaska Native females have been a victim of rape or attempted rape in their lifetime. The rate of assault by an intimate partner was similar. (womenshealth.gov).

·         American Indians and Alaska Natives born today have a life expectancy that is 5.2 years less than the U.S. all races population (72.6 years to 77.8 years, respectively; 2003-2005 rates.

·         American Indians and Alaska Natives die at higher rates than other Americans from tuberculosis (500% higher), alcoholism (514% higher), diabetes (177% higher), unintentional injuries (140% higher), homicide (92% higher) and suicide (82% higher).

·         The age-adjusted American Indians drug- related death rate is 4.9 deaths per 100,000 populations for the three-year period 1979-1981, as compared to the American Indians death rate of 15.0 in 2002-2004. This is an increase of 206 percent since drug-related death rates were first introduced for American Indians in 1979. The 2002-2004 American Indians rate is 1.5 times greater than the U.S. all-races rate of 9.9 for 2003. These American Indians rates have been adjusted to compensate for misreporting of American Indians race on state death certificates.

·   Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death – and 2.5 times the national rate – for American Indians youth in the 15-24 age group.

·   22% of females and 12% of males reported to have attempted suicide, while 5% had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year.

The reported rate of binge alcohol use over the past month was higher among American Indians adults than the national average (30.6 percent vs. 24.5 percent).

Only 1 in 8 (12.6 percent) of American Indians adults (24,000 people) in need of alcohol or illicit drug use treatment in the past year received treatment at a specialty facility.

Health Solution: Programs within the United States that limit health disparities in  America Indian.

Many American Indians have limited access to mental health care and have high rates of substance abuse and suicide rates.  IF you need help with mental health care or are thinking of committing suicide there are places that can help you!

There are urban and tribal health centers in your area for further information please contact one of the centers listed below or visit the Indian Health Service website at IHS.gov

 

Program Location support areas for Mental and Sexual Health   

Aberdeen Area (North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska)

Aberdeen Area Youth Regional Treatment Center provides drug and alcohol treatment for adolescents ages 13 - 17 years of age who are enrolled as a member of a federally recognized American Indian tribe: PO BOX 680 Mobridge, SD 57601, (605) 845-7181 ,http://www.ihs.gov/Aberdeen/index.cfm?module=ab_ao_hf_ayrtc

Cheyenne River Service Unit, Eagle Butte Hospital, PHS Indian Hospital, Eagle Butte, South Dakota 57625, Phone (605) 964-7724

Fort Berthold Service Unit, Minni-Tohe Health Center, 1Minni-Tohe Drive, New Town, North Dakota 58763, Phone (701) 627-4701

Lower Brule Service Unit, Lower Brule Health Center, 601 Gall Street, Lower Brule, South Dakota 57548,Phone (605) 473-5544

Bemidji Area(Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin)

Cass Lake Hospital, 425 7th St. NW,Cass Lake, MN 56633,Phone: 218.335.3200

Red Lake Hospital, 24760 Hospital Drive, Red Lake, MN 56671, Phone: 218-679-3912

White Earth Health Center, 40520 County Highway 34, Ogema, MN 56569-9612, Phone: 218.983.4300

Billings Area(Montana and Wyoming)

Blackfeet Community Hospital, Browning, Montana 59417, Main: (406) 338-6100

Crow/Northern Cheyenne Hospital, Crow Agency, Montana 59022,Main: (406) 638-3500

Lodge Grass Health Clinic, Lodge Grass, Montana 59050,Main: (406) 639-2317

Pryor Health Station, Pryor, Montana 59066,Main: (406) 259-8238

Fort Belknap Hospital,669 Agency Main Street, Harlem, Montana 59526

Navajo Area (Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah)

Chinle Health Care Facility, Chinle, AZ 86503,Phone: 928-674-700

Crown point Health Care Facility, Crown point Service Unit, Hwy Junction 57, Rt9 Crown point, NM 87313, Phone:505-786-5291

Dzilth-NA-O-Dith-Hle Health Center,6 Road 7586,Bloomfield, NM 87413,Phone: 505-960-1801

Fort Defiance Indian Hospital ,Ft. Defiance Service Unit,Ft. Defiance, AZ 86504,Phone: 928-729-8000

Check out wernative.org for more information on sexual, mental, physical health, and Native American culture! The site provides information geared toward American Indians adolescents ages 13-24