UCI study: Native Americans lack health services

Urban American Indians, California’s fastest-growing ethnic group,

overwhelmingly lack medical insurance and the access to health services

that other ethnic groups often have, a UC Irvine College of Medicine

study reports.

The study, released in mid-April, was one of the first to focus on the

70% of Native Americans in the state who don’t live on reservations. It

pointed to procedural, cultural and educational barriers that need to be

eliminated to increase access of health care to urban American Indians.

Dr. Laura Williams, assistant professor of family medicine; Dr. F.

Allan Hubbell, professor of medicine; and their colleagues found that

nearly 45% of the urban American Indians surveyed lack health insurance,

limiting the number of doctor visits and encouraging postponement of

medical attention for children.

In addition, the researchers found that services available on

reservations from the U.S. Indian Health Service were nearly nonexistent

in urban areas, where most California American Indians live, often in

poverty.

The researchers interviewed 10 key American Indian leaders in health

care, conducted focus group discussions and surveyed nearly 200 American

Indians throughout the state.

Barriers to enrollment included confusing paperwork to apply for

Medi-Cal and other programs, a lack of information about health services,

and some discrimination and ignorance of American Indian culture and

health needs, the study showed.