Ashley Fillerup

Public Health Trends Among Native American Indians in Scottsdale, AZ:        

 I decided to find out what the top 5 public trends are in Scottsdale, Arizona, close to my hometown of Mesa, Arizona. I chose Scottsdale, AZ because there is an Indian Reservation there called the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Reservation (SRPMIC). I have worked with SRMPIC for four summers now and I have witnessed firsthand the many epidemics/diseases and trends that are present among the Native American Indians. I thought it would be interesting to find out what the top trends are affecting these people (Native Americans.) I contacted: Mario Luis Islas, MD, Medical Director Family Physician, Native Health

 Trend #1) Heart Disease: The leading cause of death among Native Americans is heart disease. In fact, “It occurs at a rate of 20 percent greater than all other United States races” (“American”). Most Native Americans that die from heart disease die before they are 65 years old. Diabetic complications play a large part in why heart disease is so prevalent. In addition, high rates of hypertension contribute to heart disease among Native Americans. It has also been proved that stress and trauma add to an increased rate of heart disease (“American”).

 Trend #2) Diabetes: Type II diabetes is a significant problem among the Native Americans. The prevalence of diabetes among Native Americans began in the middle of the twentieth century. Since then, it has grown into an epidemic, with “about 16.3% of Native American adults have been diagnosed with diabetes” (“American”). Another shocking fact is that “Native Americans are about 2.8 times more likely to have Type II diabetes than white individuals of comparable age” (“American”). There are multiple causes for diabetes for example: diet, genetic predisposition, obesity, etc. Type II diabetes contributed significantly to the leading cause of death (Heart Disease) among Native Americans.

 Trend #3) Cancer: Cancer has a documented presence among Native Americans, and the rates of certain types of cancer exceed that of the general population of the U.S. For instance, “Native American males were twice as likely to have liver cancer than white males from 2001–05” (“American”). This has a notable correlation with the rates of alcoholism of Native Americans, which are greater than the general population. Alcohol abuse among Native Americans is very prevalent and adds to the risk of any type of cancer, especially liver cancer. Native Americans face significant risk factors for many types of cancers, which results in higher cancer rates that are being diagnosed later in life as well as more difficulty to survive the stages of cancer (“American”).

 Trend #4) HIV/AIDS: HIV and AIDS are growing concerns for the Native American population. For instance, “Native American AIDS cases make up approximately 0.5% of the nation's cases, while they account for about 1.5% of the total population” (“HIV/AIDS”). Native Americans are third in the United States in the rate of new HIV infections. Not only that, but Native Americans have a 40% higher rate of AIDS than white individuals. Some causes may be: sexual behaviors, illicit drug use, socio-economic status and culture and tradition (“HIV/AIDS”).

 Trend #5) Obesity: American Indians of all ages and both sexes have a high prevalence of obesity. In fact, “because American Indians have a higher prevalence of obesity, they may be affected disproportionately by obesity-related morbidities (“Epidemic”). In addition, “Studies indicate that obesity rates in American Indian children, adolescents, and adults are higher than the respective US rates for all races combined” (“Epidemic”). Some determinants of obesity in Americans are: genetic, environmental, and developmental factors.  Developing obesity-prevention programs in American Indian communities presents numerous challenges. Poverty is pervasive in many American Indian communities, and access to a lower-fat food supply is limited (“Epidemic”).

 Citations:

"AMERICAN INDIAN HEALTH." AMERICAN INDIAN HEALTH. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2013. <http://americanindianhealth.nlm.nih.gov/

Indians., ers T. The epidemic of obesity in American. "The epidemic of obesity in American Indian communities and the need for childhood obesity-prevention programs ." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition . N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar.   2013. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/69/4/747S.full  

"HIV/AIDS among American Indians and Alaska Natives | Factsheets | CDC HIV/AIDS." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2013. <http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factshe