THE HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF NATIVE AMERICANS
An excellent description of the current health care status of Native Americans has been provided by Ray Began who, in 1998, was the President of the Association of American Indian Physicians. In this regard, it is noted by Began that in general this is a community where there are profound health care needs that are not being adequately addressed by the current health care system. As Began reports:
Native Americans receive the lowest health care dollars allocated by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Indian Health Service. The per capita amount spent on health care for Native Americans is only $1,132 compared to the $3,261 spent per capita on non-native Americans. (p. 1).
Regarding specific health care needs, it is reported by Began that Diabetes Mellitus is widespread in the Native American population wit the Pima Indians having the world's highest rate of Diabetes with lower limb amputation as a secondary result of the disease. Also, End Stage Renal Disease is much higher in Native Americans with Diabetes than in other ethnic groups with Diabetes.
Also, suicide is said by Began (1998) to be the second leading cause of death among Native American adolescents; this while there are no more than 59 psychologists in the Indian Health Service. Further, Novins, Fleming, Beals and Manson (2000) report that alcohol with all of its serious effects (e.g., more frequent need for health care services and increased costs, increased visits to the emergency room, children born with fetal alcohol syndrome, lost productivity and employment, loss of productivity, profits, and competitiveness of Native American business, etc.) is a far greater problem among Native Americans than among many other ethnic groups.
In addition, Burhansstipanov (2000) reports that while cancer, especially breast cancer, is high in the Native American Population, treatment procedures and consequ...