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Urban American Indian and Alaska Native Youth: Youth Risk Behavior Survey 1997–2003

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Abstract

Objective To examine the prevalence of health risk-behaviors among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth in urban areas. Methods Data from the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) for the years 1997–2003 were used for the analyses (Urban sample = 52,364). The YRBS is a self-report questionnaire administered to a sample of 9th–12th grade students intended to monitor health risk-behaviors. “Urban” is defined as areas within a Metropolitan Statistical Area. Whites are used as the comparison group for the examination of AI/AN estimates. Results Urban AI/AN youth represented 1% of the urban sample (N = 513). The presence of a number of risk-behaviors were at least threefold higher in AI/AN compared to white youth in urban areas, including suicidal behaviors, feeling unsafe at school and needing medical treatment from a fight. Other factors were over twofold higher among AI/AN, including sexual behaviors, illegal drug use, violence at school, and experiences of rape, assault and pregnancy. Conclusions The higher prevalence of health risk-behaviors in urban AI/AN compared to white youth reflects a need for interventions focused on urban AI/AN youth.

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Acknowledgements

The UIHI gratefully acknowledge the Public Health—Seattle & King County for their assistance in making this project possible. We would like to send a special thank you to Mike Smyser MPH and Amy Laurent MPH from the Epidemiology, Planning and Evaluation Unit for all their efforts and commitment to this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle Indian Health Board, P.O. Box 3364, Seattle, WA, 98114, USA

    Shira Rutman, Alice Park, Mei Castor, Maile Taualii & Ralph Forquera

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  1. Shira Rutman
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  2. Alice Park
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  3. Mei Castor
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  4. Maile Taualii
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  5. Ralph Forquera
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Correspondence to Shira Rutman.

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Rutman, S., Park, A., Castor, M. et al. Urban American Indian and Alaska Native Youth: Youth Risk Behavior Survey 1997–2003. Matern Child Health J 12 (Suppl 1), 76–81 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-008-0351-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-008-0351-3

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