NOVEMBER IS AMERICAN INDIAN / ALASKA NATIVE
HERITAGE MONTH! |
During this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
will join with other Federal departments and agencies, local
government offices, national and local organizations, and interested
individuals to recognize American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN)
contributions to the development and history of the United States. |
A variety of health disparities affect AI/AN communities, including
cancer, diabetes, environmental contamination, heart disease,
injuries, sexually transmitted diseases, sudden infant death
syndrome, vaccine-preventable diseases, and viral hepatitis. To
address these disparities, CDC and ATSDR work with tribal
governments, tribal organizations, urban Indian health centers, IHS,
and other partners to provide funding and technical assistance to
tribal governments and organizations. CDC and ATSDR also commit
professional staff to positions in Indian country and work with IHS
to strengthen AI/AN public health capacity. Additional information
is available on the
OMH AI/AN Population Page and from
ATSDR. |
Census Bureau estimates that 4.4 million people are American Indian
and Alaska Native or American Indian and Alaska Native in
combination with one or more other races as of July 1, 2003; they
made up 1.5% of the total population. |
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Cherokee and Navajo are the largest American Indian tribes
(population 234,000 and 204,000 respectively); Eskimo is the largest
Alaska native tribe (37,000 members). |
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538,300 American Indians and Alaska natives alone or in combination
with one or more other races live on reservations or other land
trusts; 57% live in metropolitan areas, the lowest of any race
group. |
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1.3 million American Indian and Alaska Natives are children are
under 18, nearly one-third of this race group; 305,500 American
Indians and Alaska Natives are 65 and over, 7% of this population. |
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Sources: |
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In the preceding bullets, text is from The
OMH
Website |
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Some text and updated numbers were obtained from
The
Census Bureau Website |