 | Pam Harjo
is Director of Community Services and the HIV/AIDS Department at Hunter Health Clinic. She is a member of the Wichita Indian Mission United Methodist Church where she is a Certified Lay Speaker. She is also certified as an HIV/AIDS Educator, Counselor, and Trainer. She currently serves as a Member of The Kansas West Conference Native American Council. Pam is a member of the Kansas State Community Planning Group, and the Chickasaw Tribe of Oklahoma. She is past Board Member of The National Minority AIDS Council, The Child Care Association, The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), and Leadership Wichita Alumni. Pam and her husband Jerry have four children, and two grand-children. You may contact Pam at at (316) 262-3611 ext.124. |
Health & Medicine
2002-08-01 10:25:00
Are Native Americans more susceptible to AIDS?
Pam Harjo
Question: Are Native American men and women more susceptible to HIV/AIDS than any other ethnic group?Answer: The answer is both yes and no to this question. To clarify... you need to understand that the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) does not target any particular race or ethnic group to infect more than any other. The virus is spread through having unprotected sex, or sharing needles with an HIV infected person. An HIV infected mother can transmit the virus to her baby through breast-feeding, or during birth through blood to blood transmission. The Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is when your immune system can no longer effectively fight off diseases. AIDS is the result of an HIV infection. Native Americans are more likely to receive an AIDS diagnosis sooner than any other ethnic group after being infected with HIV. Due to high rates of diabetes, alcoholism, liver disease, hypertension and sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the Native American population, an HIV infection progresses into AIDS sooner because of an already compromised immune system. Some of the contributing factors leading to HIV/AIDS in the Native American community include substandard health care when compared with all other races in the United States, this translates to less HIV and STD prevention education by health care officials. Native Americans have the lowest life expectancy of any population in this hemisphere except Haitians, the average age of death for Native Americans is 47.6 years of age.Because the rate of STDs in the Native American community is extremely high compared to the rest of the U.S. population, STD infected Native Americans are three times more likely to contract HIV when exposed to the virus. Grossly inadequate health care and the inability for many Native Americans to access any health care, because of tribal / village isolation, is placing whole Native communities at risk of eradication much like smallpox once did. Many believe that only the tip of the iceberg is being seen with the devastation HIV/AIDS will do to Native communities in the U.S. Dr.David Satcher, the U.S. Surgeon General, is concerned by the effects of AIDS in the Native Communities said "we, as a community of Americans cannot afford to lose more lives or cultural riches from American Indian and Alaska Native cultures ...[and how] HIV/AIDS is a significant threat to these communities."
