Native American Cancer Research

Description

We are dedicated to helping improve the lives of Native American cancer patients and survivors. We seek to reduce Native American cancer incidence and mortality, and to increase survival from cancer among Native Americans. Although cancer incidence is decreasing among whites, it continues to increase among American Indians and Alaska Natives. Since World War II, and even more strikingly so within the past twenty years, nearly every American Indian and Alaska Native community has experienced suffering and death from this dread disease in their family members. Native cancer patients continue to have the poorest survivorship from cancer five years after diagnosis when compared with other minority, poor, and medically underserved populations. In addition to producing this public service web site, our organization implements cancer primary prevention, secondary prevention, risk reduction, screening (early detection), education, training, research, diagnoses, control, treatment, support, quality of life, and / or studies of cancer among Native Americans. Our projects and studies are primarily supported by federal agencies (e.g., the National Institutes of Health) and national organizations (e.g., the National Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation). Background Cancer among Native Americans is becoming a growing concern. Although those American Indians who live in the southwest region of the United States and Alaska Natives continue to experience low cancer incidence rates in comparison with whites, African Americans, Asians, and other races, within the last few generations cancer has become the leading cause of death for Alaska Native women and is the second leading cause of death among American Indian women. Within the last 30 years, cancer has become the third leading cause of death for American Indians and Alaska Natives of all ages and is the second leading cause of death among American Indians older than 45 years of age. In general, the cancer sites of most concern among American Indians and Alaska Natives include the lung, colon and rectum, breast, prostate, cervix, stomach, pancreas, and gallbladder. A variety of psychosocial and cultural barriers and beliefs impact American Indians and how they might perceive the issue of cancer in their lives. Healthcare professionals caring for a Native American with cancer and their family members need to be apprised of these issues, which may affect the rapport between the provider and patient. Yet, until recently, few culturally acceptable materials were available, and there continues to be a need to develop resource materials for Native American women and other audiences interested in reducing cancer morbidity and mortality among native Americans. The following are imporant cultural issues... Cultural Beliefs Many older Native Peoples respect and prefer traditional medicine over medicine practiced by Western populations. There are numerous misconceptions related to cancer. For example, some Native Americans believe that a cancer diagnosis is synonymous with a death sentence. Sickness and death in general are perceived differently in Native cultures than among non-natives.

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