Reprinted from New Mexico Epidemiology

New Mexico American Indian Health Status

By Dawn McCusker, M.S., MPH
Formerly of the Epidemiology and Response Division New Mexico Department of Health

Introduction

New Mexico is home to over 190,000 people who identify themselves as American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN)including those from 19 Pueblos, 2 Apache nations, and the Navajo Nation. American Indian people in New Mexico are served by two Indian Health Service (IHS) areas, Albuquerque Area IHS and Navajo Area IHS. The NM portion of the Albuquerque Area IHS includes the 19 Pueblos, 2 Apache nations, and 3 Navajo chapters ( Alamo, Ramah, and To’hajilee). The NM portion of the Navajo Area IHS includes the Navajo reservation in New Mexico, excluding the three chapters in the Albuquerque Area. The tribes in New Mexico are culturally unique and sovereign governments.

Methods

Data included in this article were originally compiled by the Community Health Assessment Program, Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health for the New Mexico American Indian Health Status Report 2005, which is a data resource book on American Indian health in New Mexico. This article summarizes key findings from that report. The larger report included the following data courses: U.S. Census for population data; New Mexico vital records for birth and death data; Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program database for cancer data; Hospital Inpatient Discharge Data (HIDD) from NM Health Policy Commission; New Mexico NETSS for infectious disease data; New Mexico HIV/AIDS Reporting System for HIV/AIDS data; STD-MIS for sexually transmitted disease data; Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for adult behavioral risk factor data; and the Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (YRRS).