American Indian Classification

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, the American Indian and Alaska Native population make up about 2 percent of the total United States population. This constitutes approximately 6.2 million people who meet the classification. Their demographic classification would be comprised of those who have origin from North, South and Central America with some sort of tribal affiliation. A tribe is defined as any aggregate of people united by ties of a common ancestor, community of customs and traditions.
The traditions of the American Indian and Alaska Native population are deep rooted in their culture. They have many customs that they abide by currently amongst their tribes. In regards …show more content…
According to the Office of Minority Health, 77 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives ages 25 and over have at least a high school diploma in 2010 which is almost 30 percent less than that of non-Hispanic Whites. The lack of education obtained by this population is greatly attributed to their cultural beliefs of self sustainment and isolation of living on reservations. They aren’t aware of the benefits of healthy eating, vitamin supplements and diet and exercise. They aren’t educated on the side effects of alcohol abuse or substance abuse which is something very prevalent in their communities. They also don’t always seek out immunization because they don’t follow routine health care. The poverty they experience from isolation, low income and lack of education causes increase risk of disease. Living in such isolated areas doesn’t allow them to get the proper treatment for such …show more content…
Government initiatives like the Affordable Care Act of 2010 works to do specific research on diseases and provide patients with information to make better decisions. The significance of this is that maybe those who have health care with see the importance of treatment and education by improved quality of care and go back to those isolated reservations and educate others. The American Indian and Alaska Native Health Research Advisory Council (HRAC) deliver health services and funding to programs to maintain and improve the health of American Indians and Alaska Natives. They work with Indian tribes to support research to help improve the health care of American Indians and Alaska Natives (Indian Health Service, 2011). In a meeting they held in October of 2011 with nine tribal delegates, they determined that a focus should be put on screening and treatment of breast cancer in women (Indian Health Service, 2011). Continued efforts to help educate and work with tribal representatives will help towards quality improvement of care. The efforts of the HRAC, INS and the Affordable Care Act will all help bridge the gap between the disparity in percentages of increased risk and disease amongst this