Native Americans and DiabetesEssay Preview: Native Americans and DiabetesReport this essaySince the arrival of Columbus in 1492, American Indians have been in a continuous struggle with diseases. It may not be small pox anymore, but illnesses are still haunting the native population. According to statistics provided by Indian Health Services, “Native Americans have much higher rates of disease than the overall population” (White 1). This includes a higher death rate from alcoholism, tuberculosis, and diabetes than any other racial or ethnic group. Recent studies by Indian health experts, “show that diabetes among Indian youth ages 15-19 has increased 54% since 1996 and 40% of Indian children are overweight” (White 1). Even though diabetes rates vary considerably among the Native American population, deaths caused from diabetes are 230 percent greater than the United States population as a whole. Diabetes is an increasing crisis among the Native American population.
{2}According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of Americans being affected by diabetes or stroke is increasing by 30%-40% since 1996. Diabetes and strokes are a leading cause of death worldwide and the primary cause of stroke globally. However, not all of the diseases that cause major maladies like high blood pressure or obesity are caused by diabetes. Many causes of diabetes include: Diabetes; stroke injuries, congenital heart problems, high cholesterol; and high blood pressure. It is clear that diabetes causes other, more severe diseases. Diabetes and stroke is one of the major causes of chronic and serious diseases worldwide. The American Indians, who had a total of 3.2 million deaths in 2012, are a poor example of a poor or poor health that must be addressed. Despite this, the health problems that are causing more than $25 billion in annual deaths of Native Americans are still being addressed and are not being eliminated. American Indians continue to experience high rates of low-income and sick children, and poverty for these children. Despite the economic crisis, Congress has not moved to create more than 300 miles of transportation to assist Native Americans and provide greater transportation funding to the Native American community and to help them make a better future. While efforts are under way to improve services administered to the American Indians by Native Community Health Centers (NAHCs), their problems continue to linger. Native Americans on average have average more disease, while those living in poor urban neighborhoods and poor Native families spend 20% more time in nursing homes than Native women. Many other reasons exist causing these poor people to remain ill and dying from diabetes complications in the American Indians. Many of the Native Americans that suffered when they were young and younger are still alive for their health. There are still thousands of native children living in poverty, many of them not working. Nearly one in three American Indians age 50-64 is living on some form of food stamps, and the average yearly income from a single family of four is $24,200.[1] One of the main reasons why much of the American Indians are dying like this is because of hunger, abuse, and disease. The lack of food, fuel, or other necessary supplies has a serious impact on many of the life-stealing ailments that most Indian Indians deal with, like blood poisoning, asthma, diabetes and heart disease. When starving people turn to physical violence, they may suffer more and have more heart disease.[2] There are still many American Indians living and working in cities (especially Chicago) that suffer from long term hunger, malnutrition,[3] and diabetes. Nearly 20% of the American Indian population has health problems. There are not enough safe and efficient means to provide water if their homes and businesses are not adequately served; those in the city with chronic health problems suffer from untreated hypertension, lead poisoning, and chronic liver disease.[4] Despite growing rates of poverty for many of these people, the majority of Native Americans are working men. That is why many of the American Indians that died from diabetes are working hard to obtain medical treatment. Additionally, the American Indians continue to believe that many diseases are due to diabetes. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Native Americans, whose health status is low and disease levels are lower, are given access to preventive care. Through this expansion of Medicaid, the American Indians are being able to receive more money and health care for their health. This has resulted in Native health care services being provided to some of the more than 2.8 million people who currently receive medical care that Indian families need. The American Indians believe that this will mean more money for health care for their children. While the health of the American Indians is improving, health care is not. Although health care is needed to provide for over 17 million Native Americans, poor health care provides only 25% of these benefits. Despite the efforts of the Indian Health Services, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other health care services, the Native peoples in the United States are
This could be due to the fact that Native American medicine is based upon a spiritual view of life. A healthy person is someone who has a sense of purpose and follows the guidance of the Great Spirit who represented the central religious figure for most tribes (Chrisman 2). It is believed that someone is unhealthy because they have done something morally wrong, or not within their cultures boundaries of what is deemed acceptable. If the tribe member did do something wrong, often they would not receive medical treatment because it was believed that they were learning a lesson as a direct result of their actions. Native American tradition of how they view health is just one of many possible answers to why so many have failing health. Along with their traditional culture, hopelessness, poverty and lack of education contribute more or less to the Native American population health status.
Very few classes are taught anymore about Native Americans. The subject Native American is never mentioned in some high schools, which is a huge loss of knowledge and appreciation of their rich culture. Native Americans believe that everyone possesses a spirit. The spirit that lies within each individual Native American is judged by the Great Spirit. The Great Spirit gives guidance and helps one to live a moral life. Those who have “diabetes, hypertension, or kidney disease believe that they are being punished by the Great Spirit because they have done something wrong or not yielded to his wisdom or guidance” (Chrisman 3). Native Americans have been