Authors: Northwest Federation of Community Organizations

Publication Year: 2009

Last Updated: 2016-01-07

Journal: Human Rights Organization Project - Northwest Federations of Community Organizations

Keywords: Native American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Government responsibilty, underserved population, access to health care

Abstract:

When Native people arrive at the doctors office, they come bearing the effects of discrimination and dispossession, which take a physical and mental toll. As a result, Native people in the United States bear an excess burden of disease, dying younger and often living sicker than members of other groups.

Yet Native people* often cannot get quality health care when they need it, despite the responsibility of the United States government to provide for Native peoples health care. The infrastructure serving Native health needs is chronically underfunded, out-of-date, and understaffed. Native people have extremely high rates of uninsurance, and when they do make it into the clinic or hospital they often receive substandard care and biased treatment.

This storybook shares the experiences of Native people struggling to get health care they need. The contributors provide personal accounts of their efforts to be treated with respect by practitioners, as well as their fight to improve the health and wellbeing of their communities.

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Source: Link to Original Article.

Source: https://allianceforajustsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2009-0925_An-American-Debt-Unpaid.pdf