Includes bibliographical references and index.

The Department of Health and Human Services reported that Native American women are second only to African American women in terms of death rate due to homicide and drug abuse. Psychiatric disorders such as depression and obesity-related diseases like diabetes are also common among Native populations. Not surprisingly, poverty, limited access to preventive health care, and some cultural barriers are at the heart of many of these persistent health disparities. Comprising contributions from mostly Native American women scholars, the work presents key background information on native women's health, health care delivery systems, and sociocultural history, and its chapters address the changing role of native women in Alaska and other parts of Indian country. Each author taps her specific area of expertise and knowledge to spotlight specific native women's health problems, such as nutrition, aging, domestic violence, diabetes, and substance abuse."-- from publisher