In the Aberdeen Area the leading causes of death (age-adjusted) for 1985-87
are heart disease, accidents, cancer, liver disease, stroke, pneumonia,
diabetes, homicide, suicide, perinatal, copd.
the leading cases in the aberdeen area for hospital treatment and
diagnosis for outpatient vists are uri (drug dependence treatment) diabetes,
previous health services (check-ups), hypertension, all other, undiagnosed
The greatest health problem is drug dependency and diabetes. If you look at
the reasons why people visit and the causes for death an alarming number of
these correspond with complications of dependency and diabetes.
A recent testing of children on one rez showed *100%* of the children at
risk for diabetes. For those attending the applied anthor meetings in San
Antonio this spring, we will be doing a session on diabetes, treatments and
ed interventions.
N.A.'s have an adaption that is commonly called a thrifty gene. They
matablisze fat very quickly. Before the european insvaion, this adaptation
was handy because although there was plenty of food, it was not always
available......the stored fat carrierd them through lean times. Starvation
condidions persisted on the rez until post world war II when commodity
foods were introduced. Now.....plenty of food and a sedintary lifestyle is
literally killing the population.
For interesting reading A Population at Risk Diabetes and Native Americans,
in the journal Living well with diabetes, fall 1990 12-13
The number of fast children (fedal alcohal syndrom) is the high rate of
infant mortality and a paramount factor in learning disabilities.
But your guess that they are similar to third world problems is correct.
The report that was issued about American health is not a surprise, we are
not anywhere near to being number one in health care issues. Nor have we
been for quite awhile.
Betsy
betsy@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu