For far too long, Native Americans have faced challenging economic, environmental and political conditions that are, in many ways, like those experienced in poor developing countries. AI/AN communities are vastly underserved and impoverished, with widely-documented disparities in health outcomes including:
- American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the world. The incidence is increasing in these two groups faster than any other ethnic population.
- Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality among Native Americans with a rising rate that is significantly higher than the rest of the US general population.
- AI/AN die at higher rates than all other Americans in many categories including chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, tuberculosis, diabetes, lower respiratory diseases, unintentional injuries, and intentional self-harm/ suicide.
- Rates of AI/AN substance abuse and dependence including binge alcohol are among the highest in the nation.
- Life expectancy 4.4 years shorter than for the general population in the United States.
