The Perpetuation of Historic Grief: Health Discrepancies and the Epidemic of Depression in American Indian Communities

Health disparities have persisted in American Indian communities despite government agency efforts, including the enactment of major pieces of legislation, as well as the commitment of numerous outreach programs. Poor access to appropriate health and mental health care has been described for more than four decades, and there continues to be a disproportionate prevalence of suicide, depression and comorbid conditions within these communities. The goal of this review is to enhance awareness for mental health providers and administrators by providing current statistics and recent research findings, summarizing past efforts for intervention and their failures. We also describe initiatives and organizations attempting to address the health discrepancies among American Indians.