American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Data Issues
INTRODUCTION TO CANCER AS AN ISSUE AMONG AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA NATIVES Cancer is a growing problem among American Indians and Alaska Natives. Unfortunately, both non-Native and First Nations peoples are less aware of the growing cancer dilemma than they are of alcohol, violence, diabetes, and...
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ftcdlib:oai:escholarship.org:ark:/13030/qt9xs27442 2024-09-15T18:06:51+00:00 American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Data Issues Burhansstipanov, Linda Hampton, James W. Tenney, Martha J. 1999-06-01 application/pdf https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9xs27442 https://escholarship.org/content/qt9xs27442/qt9xs27442.pdf doi:10.17953 unknown eScholarship, University of California qt9xs27442 https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9xs27442 https://escholarship.org/content/qt9xs27442/qt9xs27442.pdf doi:10.17953 CC-BY-NC American Indian Culture and Research Journal , vol 23, iss 3 white man's disease cancer not discussed considered a form of punishment article 1999 ftcdlib 2024-06-28T06:28:18Z INTRODUCTION TO CANCER AS AN ISSUE AMONG AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA NATIVES Cancer is a growing problem among American Indians and Alaska Natives. Unfortunately, both non-Native and First Nations peoples are less aware of the growing cancer dilemma than they are of alcohol, violence, diabetes, and other well-promoted and widely dispersed conditions within Native communities. In the second half of the twentieth century, cancer has become the leading cause of death for Alaska Native women and is the second leading cause of death among Alaska Native men. In fact, cancer is currently the third leading cause of death for all North American Natives5 and is the second leading cause of death among American Indians (both sexes) over age 45. The disease is the third most cited reason for hospital stays among Indian Health Service beneficiaries served by the Alaska Area Native Indian Health Service. Cancer rates, previously reported as less frequent in American Indian and Alaska Natives, have been increasing throughout the last twenty years. Incidence rates among Alaska Natives have exceeded “U.S. All Races” rates for most cancer sites. Rates are increasing similarly for Canadian bands. Within Native American communities, health programs continue to focus on alcoholism and diabetes, although cancer is responsible for more deaths than either of these conditions. Because the word cancer is not indigenous, it translates into some Native languages as “the disease for which there is no cure” or “the disease that eats the body.” Many tribes regard cancer as a white man’s disease because of its rarity before European contact. For many Native cancer patients, the disease is not discussed and is considered a form of punishment, shame, and guilt. A few tribes consider the patient’s suffering necessary in order to ensure the health of the other tribal members (they wear the pain so that their community will be spared). Some tribal members living with cancer—infected with the cancer spirit—are considered contagious and are ostracized ... Article in Journal/Newspaper First Nations Alaska University of California: eScholarship |
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white man's disease cancer not discussed considered a form of punishment |
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white man's disease cancer not discussed considered a form of punishment Burhansstipanov, Linda Hampton, James W. Tenney, Martha J. American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Data Issues |
topic_facet |
white man's disease cancer not discussed considered a form of punishment |
description |
INTRODUCTION TO CANCER AS AN ISSUE AMONG AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA NATIVES Cancer is a growing problem among American Indians and Alaska Natives. Unfortunately, both non-Native and First Nations peoples are less aware of the growing cancer dilemma than they are of alcohol, violence, diabetes, and other well-promoted and widely dispersed conditions within Native communities. In the second half of the twentieth century, cancer has become the leading cause of death for Alaska Native women and is the second leading cause of death among Alaska Native men. In fact, cancer is currently the third leading cause of death for all North American Natives5 and is the second leading cause of death among American Indians (both sexes) over age 45. The disease is the third most cited reason for hospital stays among Indian Health Service beneficiaries served by the Alaska Area Native Indian Health Service. Cancer rates, previously reported as less frequent in American Indian and Alaska Natives, have been increasing throughout the last twenty years. Incidence rates among Alaska Natives have exceeded “U.S. All Races” rates for most cancer sites. Rates are increasing similarly for Canadian bands. Within Native American communities, health programs continue to focus on alcoholism and diabetes, although cancer is responsible for more deaths than either of these conditions. Because the word cancer is not indigenous, it translates into some Native languages as “the disease for which there is no cure” or “the disease that eats the body.” Many tribes regard cancer as a white man’s disease because of its rarity before European contact. For many Native cancer patients, the disease is not discussed and is considered a form of punishment, shame, and guilt. A few tribes consider the patient’s suffering necessary in order to ensure the health of the other tribal members (they wear the pain so that their community will be spared). Some tribal members living with cancer—infected with the cancer spirit—are considered contagious and are ostracized ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Burhansstipanov, Linda Hampton, James W. Tenney, Martha J. |
author_facet |
Burhansstipanov, Linda Hampton, James W. Tenney, Martha J. |
author_sort |
Burhansstipanov, Linda |
title |
American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Data Issues |
title_short |
American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Data Issues |
title_full |
American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Data Issues |
title_fullStr |
American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Data Issues |
title_full_unstemmed |
American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Data Issues |
title_sort |
american indian and alaska native cancer data issues |
publisher |
eScholarship, University of California |
publishDate |
1999 |
url |
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9xs27442 https://escholarship.org/content/qt9xs27442/qt9xs27442.pdf |
genre |
First Nations Alaska |
genre_facet |
First Nations Alaska |
op_source |
American Indian Culture and Research Journal , vol 23, iss 3 |
op_relation |
qt9xs27442 https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9xs27442 https://escholarship.org/content/qt9xs27442/qt9xs27442.pdf doi:10.17953 |
op_rights |
CC-BY-NC |
_version_ |
1810444213259599872 |