The need to improve the health status of American Indians/Alaska Natives has been a longstanding goal pursued by tribal communities, their advocates, and the federal Indian Health Service. One objective to achieve this goal has involved the realization of self-determination, a policy change that has encouraged tribes to take over management of their own health care delivery systems. Unlike other minority populations in the United States, American Indians and Alaska Natives have a unique government-to-government relationship with the federal government, an arrangement that often serves as the only mechanism to bring about policy change and/or to bring additional resources to help create change.

Currently, tribes are supporting the reauthorization of key health legislation that includes a provision to initiate a study to examine health care entitlement. It is against this backdrop that Jennie R. Joe, PhD, MPH, discusses the key health disparities faced by American Indians/Alaska Natives, the funding of health care, and the congressional route advocated for resolving some of these health disparities.

After viewing the program, you will:

• Gain an understanding of how American Indians/Alaska Natives receive their health care as well as the role of the federal government;
• Gain some knowledge about the historical and political history that has impacted the health disparities faced by American Indians/Alaska Natives; and
• Gain some insight into solutions being tried to target some specific preventable health problems.

This program was originally broadcast on June 22, 2004, as a part of the 10th Annual Summer Public Health Research Institute and Videoconference on Minority Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Public Health, Minority Health Project.