American Indian/Alaska Native Health
This profile offers an overview of the social, economic, and environmental factors that shape the health of the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population in the United States. Considering the unique environments, cultures, histories, and circumstances of racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN populations is fundamental to improving their health outcomes and reducing longstanding disparities and inequities. These factors, known as social determinants of health (SDOH), affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. Non-medical factors like poverty, limited access to healthcare, lack of education, and racism are all examples of individual SDOH that contribute to health disparities and inequities.
Visit Healthy People 2030 to learn more about SDOH.
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE POPULATION INFORMATION
The U.S. Census Bureau defines the AI/AN population as people having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) population estimates, in 2022, an estimated 3.2 million people identified as AI/AN alone, accounting for 1.3% of all people living in the United States. Over 8.5 million people identified as AI/AN in combination with one or more races in 2022.
According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, there are approximately 326 federally recognized American Indian reservations in the United States. Based 2020 U.S. Census data, the IHS estimates that approximately 87% of the AI/AN population live in urban areas, while 13% live on reservations or Tribal lands. In 2022, the five states with the largest percentage of AI/AN populations were: Alaska (15.7%), New Mexico (11.2%), Oklahoma (9.5%), South Dakota (8.5%) and Montana (6.5%). As of 2024, there are 574 federally recognized tribes and a number of tribes recognized at the individual state level. There are also many tribes that are not state or federally recognized.
The Indian Health Service (IHS), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides federal health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The IHS provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2.6 million American Indians and Alaska Natives in 37 states.
According to 2022 ACS estimates, 19.0% of the AI/AN alone, not Hispanic or Latino population age 5 years and older speaks a language other than English at home, with 3.8% speaking English less than “very well.”
According to 2022 ACS estimates, 84.4% of American Indians and Alaska Natives (alone or in combination with one or more other races) age 25 years and older have at least a high school diploma, compared to 93.7% of non-Hispanic whites. 23.3% of American Indians and Alaska Natives aged 25 and over have at least a bachelor's degree, in comparison to 39.0% of non-Hispanic whites, and 8.3 % of American Indians and Alaska Natives held an advanced graduate or professional degree, compared to 15.2 % of the non-Hispanic white population.
According to 2022 ACS estimates, the median household income for American Indian and Alaska Natives (alone or in combination with one or more other races) is $61,778, compared to $79,933 for non-Hispanic white households. In 2022, 14.0 % of American Indians and Alaska Natives (alone or in combination with one or more other races) were experiencing poverty, compared to 5.9% of non-Hispanic whites. 2022 estimates from the U.S. Department of Labor show the overall unemployment rate for American Indians and Alaska Natives was 6.2% compared to 3.2% for whites.
According to ACS estimates, in 2022, 54.9% of American Indians and Alaska Natives (alone or in combination with one or more other races) had private health insurance, compared to 73.3% of non-Hispanic whites. 42.2% of American Indians and Alaska Natives (alone or in combination with one or more other races) had Medicaid or public health insurance coverage, compared to 36.1% of non-Hispanic whites, and 12.7% had no health insurance coverage, compared to 5.7% of non-Hispanic whites.
American Indian and Alaska Natives have the lowest life expectancy at birth among all racial and ethnic groups in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2022 the average estimated life expectancy at birth for American Indians and Alaska Natives is 67.9 years (71.3 for females and 64.6 for males), compared to 77.5 years for Non-Hispanic Whites (80.1 for females and 75.1 for males). In 2022, 19.1% of people who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native alone reported being in fair or poor health – the highest rate compared with all other racial groups.
In 2021, the leading causes of death in American Indians and Alaska Natives were COVID-19, heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, and chronic liver disease.
Last Edited: 06/17/2024