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 Contents


Front matter
1 Introduction
I Overview of Demographic and Health Conditions
2 The Size and Distribution of the American Indian Population: Fertility, Mortality, Residence, and Migration
3 Recent Health Trends in the Native American Population
II Indentification: Indications and Consequences
4 The Growing American Indian Population, 1960-1990: Beyond Demography
5 Tribal Membership Requirements and the Demography of
6 Problems in Sampling the Native American and Alaska Native Populations
III Social and Economic Conditions
7 The Individual Economic Well-Being of Native American Men and Women During the 1980s: A Decade of Moving Backwards
8 American Indian Poverty on Reservations, 1969-1989
9 The Demography of American Indian Families
10 Demography of American Indian Elders: Social, Economic, and Health Status
IV Health Issues and Health Care Access and Utilization
11 Overview of Alcohol Abuse Epidemiology for American Indian Populations
12 Diabetes Mellitus in Native Americans: The Problem and Its Implications
13 Health Care Utilization, Expenditures, and Insurance Coverage for American Indians and Alaska Natives Eligible for the Indian Health Service