Although this isn't a problem with the health of women, it can lead to health problems because many women can't get the right health services, medicines, and supplies when they need them. Some reasons include:

* They can't pay for it and don't have health insurance.
* They have no way to get to a doctor.
* They have physical limitations that make it hard to get to a doctor.
* They don't understand the language.

Because they believe ill health is part of the normal aging process, American Indians/Alaska Natives may be less likely than others to get care for problems that can be treated. They have faced racism and have been denied medical care in the past, which are also barriers for some people to get care later in their lives. In fact, one study found that older American Indians fear non-Indian health professionals and do not expect to be treated fairly by them.

Another barrier is not having medical care close by. Even though the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Indian Health Service (IHS) offers health care services for American Indians and Alaska Natives, many do not have a health care provider to see for preventive health services or medical care. Only 1 in 5 American Indian or Alaska Native uses health care from the Indian Health Service. IHS services clinics are mainly located at reservations. So, American Indians and Alaska Natives who live in urban areas can't use it.

Publications

1. American Indian and Alaska Native Women's Health - This site provides information to Indian Health Service providers and consumers about American Indian and Alaska Native women's health. It discusses access to care, violence against Native women, cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, cardiovascular disease, and other health issues.

2. Guide for Patients and Families Improving Health Care Quality - This Guide is based on research about the information consumers want and need when making decisions about health plans, doctors, treatments, hospitals and long-term care. It is part of the Department's (DHHS) efforts to address the findings of the President's Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry, released in March 1998.

3. Health Care Away From the Reservation - This publication outlines the types of services that are provided by the Indian Health Service: (1) Direct health care services, which are provided by an IHS facility, or (2) contract health services (CHS), which are provided by a non-IHS facility or provider through contracts with the IHS.

4. Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care Among American Indians and Alaska Natives - This publication contains information on the disparities in health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives as compared to white women, why this occurs, and what is being done to fix the problem.

5. Insure Kids Now - This web site, part of the Children's Health Insurance Program outreach, contains information about your state's low-cost or free insurance programs for children through 18 years of age. This site contains state contact information and on-line video messages in both English and Spanish.

6. WISEWOMAN: Improving the Health of Uninsured Women - At a Glance 2003 - The WISEWOMAN Program provides the opportunity for underserved women to be assessed for cardiovascular disease risk factors and receive support for making needed changes in their diets, physical activity, and smoking behaviors. This publication reviews the risk factors facing women targeted by WISEWOMAN and summarizes the leadership provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in order to promote healthier lifestyles for high-risk women.

Organizations

1. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, OPHS, HHS

2. CDC's WISEWOMAN™ - Well Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation

3. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, HHS

4. Indian Health Services

5. National Indian Women's Health Resource Center (NIWHRC)

6. Office of Minority Health Resource Center, OMH, OPHS, OS, HHS