Changing Numbers, Changing Needs

The reported population of American Indians and Alaska Natives has grown rapidly over the past 20 years. These changes raise questions for the Indian Health Service and other agencies responsible for serving the American Indian population. How big is the population? What are its health care and insurance needs?This volume presents an up-to-date summary of what is known about the demography of American Indian and Alaska Native population—their age and geographic distributions, household structure, employment, and disability and disease patterns. This information is critical for health care planners who must determine the eligible population for Indian health services and the costs of providing them. The volume will also be of interest to researchers and policymakers concerned about the future characteristics and needs of the American Indian population.Table of ContentsFront matter1 IntroductionI Overview of Demographic and Health Conditions2 The Size and Distribution of the American Indian Population: Fertility, Mortality, Residence, and Migration3 Recent Health Trends in the Native American PopulationII Indentification: Indications and Consequences4 The Growing American Indian Population, 1960-1990: Beyond Demography5 Tribal Membership Requirements and the Demography of6 Problems in Sampling the Native American and Alaska Native PopulationsIII Social and Economic Conditions7 The Individual Economic Well-Being of Native American Men and Women During the 1980s: A Decade of Moving Backwards8 American Indian Poverty on Reservations, 1969-19899 The Demography of American Indian Families10 Demography of American Indian Elders: Social, Economic, and Health StatusIV Health Issues and Health Care Access and Utilization11 Overview of Alcohol Abuse Epidemiology for American Indian Populations12 Diabetes Mellitus in Native Americans: The Problem and Its Implications13 Health Care Utilization, Expenditures, and Insurance Coverage for American Indians and Alaska Natives Eligible for the Indian Health Service