Alaska natives.2

High Rate of STD Inflections among American Indians &

Alaska Natives

Global Development And Social JusticeInformation Resources for Development Professionals

Dr. Kevin S. Rioux, ProfessorFr. James R. Barrand

18 July, 2010

In 2011, the Center for Disease Control reported that the trend continues among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) living in Alaska of having a disproportionately high rate of STD infections.

BUT FIRST A LITTLE BACKGROUND

Migratory people from Asia traveled to Alaska 7000 years ago to live off the land and sea.

Alaska is composed of 571,951.26 miles of the most pristine, beautiful and dangerous land in the world.

There are 229 Federally recognized tribes in Alaska, coming from 13 distinct cultural groups.

1700’s saw waves of Russian fur merchants trading, killing, enslaving and stealing from the coastal inhabitants.

The lands taken from American Indians and Alaska Natives was eventually sold to America for a pittance by the Russians without consent or ascent of AI/AN.

Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act

1915 Alaska Natives and American Indians given opportunity to become citizens.

1923 offer extended again.

1971 Pres. Nixon Signs Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act returned over 1/9 of all Alaska lands & $1 Billion to Native Corporations and villages to benefit 51,000 Alaska Natives.*

However, this has not brought prosperity to the American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) living in

Alaska.

The AI/AN Community is plagued by higher than national average in suicides, alcoholism, drugs and sexually transmitted diseases.

Poverty and poor educational opportunities continue to take their toll on AI/AN Community.

“Patient medical records from Alaska health care systems show an increase of 215% in the presence of diabetes for all Alaska Native age groups from 1990 – 2003 (Figure 8). For those over 55, incidence of diabetes increased 185%, and in the age group that will become elders within the next ten years, those 45 - 54, incidence has increased 230%.” Stanford School of Medicine.

As the Stanford University center for Ethno-medicine concludes:

“Currently, Alaska Native families continue to experience extreme social disparities such as poverty, poor housing, and underemployment or unemployment, which can cause severe trauma reactions in families over time. Socioeconomic disadvantage causes fatigue, irritability, and illnesses while jeopardizing security and well-being… Social structural trauma generated by assaults to social structure produce demoralizing and long-enduring effects across generations (Kira, 2001).”

Suicide rates among Alaska Natives are 5 times the National Average and 50 % higher than non-Native Alaskans.

+ The Alaska rape rate is 2.5 times the national average.

+ Child sexual assault in Alaska is almost six times the national average.

+ Alaska has the highest rate per capita of men murdering women.

+ Almost 30% of Alaskans were not able to access victim services or encourage others to do so because there were no services available in their remote area at the time. *

Alaskan Domestic Violence

MORE OFTEN, THE VIOLENCE AND SELF-DESTRUCTIVE

BEHAVIOR IS DIRECTED OUTWARDLY.

American Indian and Alaska Native Women

More than 1 out of every 3 American Indian and

Alaska Native women will be raped in her lifetime.

More than 3 out of every 4 American Indian and Alaska

Native women will be physically assaulted in her

lifetime.

Domestic violence against AI/AN Women

These figure were confirmed as recently as Thursday, July 14, 2011 when Amnesty International’s Professor Sarah Deer, spoke to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing. Her talk was entitled: “Native Women: Protecting, Shielding, and Safeguarding Our Sisters, Mothers, and Daughters.”

Statically, even within consenting relationships risky

behavior is practiced.

Also, the STD rates among AI/AN is disproportionately high.

Continuing a recent trend, in spring 2010, the Center for Disease Control reported that Alaska had the 2nd highest rate of Gonorrhea & 1st highest rate in Chlamydia in the USA.

Taking the example of Gonorrhea, the chart below illustrates that Alaska’s rate of

inflection is proportionately higher that the lower 48 States.Gonococcal Case Rates by Alaska

Regions and the United States, 2006–2010*

*The 2010 U.S. case rate is preliminary

The percentage, by ethnicity, of those infected is surprising. Gonorrhea 2010

Statistics: State of Alaska Dept. of Health & Human Services, EpidemiologyAI/AN – American Indian and Alaska Native

State of Alaska: Chlamydia 2010

Statistics: State of Alaska Dep. of Health & Human Services, Epidemiology

These figures are staggering when it is

considered that AI/AN’s comprises

only 14.8 % of the populations.

State and national governmental agencies and non-profits are attempting to address these multifaceted problems by working vigorously with the various Tribal Corporations. Prevalent are TV campaigns with Natives speaking to Natives, which promote abstinence, respect for others, speaking out against domestic violence and conflict resolutions. A conscious effort has been made to make more visible AI/AN doctors, nurses, lawyers who are serving the community in their vocations and as role models.

Here are a few specific examples…

What is being done in the areas of promoting health services and education,

and fighting and preventing domestic violence and substance abuse?

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium

(A) “iknowmine.org” This site contains

materials and videos made by young people for

other AI/AN adults about responsible behavior,

self-esteem,& HIV prevention.

https://www.iknowmine.org/ (I may not agree with everything they recommend, but it is an important

first step.)

(B) Alaska Natives established the Family Wellness Warriors Initiative (FWWI), which “seeks to address the devastating problems of domestic violence, abuse, and neglect in the Alaska Native community. Its purpose is to equip organizations and individuals to effectively address the spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical effects of domestic violence, abuse, and neglect.”

Please see video of "Breaking the Silence," part 2.

Southcentral Foundation, Anchorage