Improving American Indian Health Care: The Western Cherokee Experience

Indicators point to continuing lower health status among Native Americans as compared to the general population. Just a decade ago, the mortality rate of Native Americans was 37 percent greater than the rate for the general population, and Native Americans are still more likely to suffer from diabetes, tuberculosis, alcoholism, depression, and suicide.

To address the basic health concerns of all Native Americans, this book examines the response of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma to critical medical issues. After 1976, the Cherokee Nation aggressively addressed inadequate levels of health services for tribal members and better coordinated efforts to deal with the health problems of their population.

Improving American Indian Health Care shares the Western Cherokee experience so that other tribal governments may adopt or adapt the approaches particularly suitable to their own circumstances.