Date of Award

1998

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Health Management

First Advisor

Betty LeMasters

Second Advisor

Peter Carich

Third Advisor

Lynette Gerschefke

Abstract

This thesis will focus on the decline in health of Native Americans and Alaskan Natives in regards to chronic diseases due to changes in their food habits, customs, traditions, and culture.

The purpose of this study is to explore why Native Americans and Alaskans health has deteriorated in relation to diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and alcoholism.

Limitation in access to health care facilities includes geographic location, cul tural, and linguistic barriers.

The studies to be discussed include: the Inter-Tribal Heart Project (ITHP) for cardiovascular disease; the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for self-reported risk factors; and the Navajo Health and Nutrition Survey (NHNS) for chronic diseases associated with nutritional findings.

Results of the analysis of these surveys produced considerable evidence to suggest that the hypothesis be accepted and conclude that, the movement away from traditional lifestyles, customs, and eating patterns has exacerbated a decline in their health .

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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