We Will be Known Forever by the Tracks we Leave: Rising up to Meet the Reproductive Health Needs of American Indian and Alaska Native Youth

Abstract

Many U.S. adolescents of all races/ethnicities engage in multiple behaviors that increase their risk for poor reproductive health outcomes (Eaton, 20101; Everett Jones, Anderson, Lowry, & Conner, 2011; Ramisetty-Mikler & Ebama, 2011; Rutman, Park, Castor, Taualii, & Forquera, 2008). American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth are disproportionately affected by poor reproductive health outcomes, including high rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and teen pregnancy. Peer-reviewed literature on AI/AN reproductive health issues is sparse and often not generalizable to all AI/AN because of small and geographically specific study populations. In the limited studies that have been conducted, some have shown high rates of STDs and teen pregnancy among AI/AN adolescents may result from a lack of familial support, a history of sexual and physical abuse, and early sexual debut (Palacios & Kennedy, 2010); alcohol and substance use and low and inconsistent condom use (Kaufman, 2006); and multiple sex partners (Marsiglia, Nieri, & Stiffman, 2006). The Journal of American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research disseminated the call for submissions for this special issue through its extensive formal and informal networks. The journal received 11 submissions; 9 of those are included in this special issue of the journal and 2 will appear in a later issue. No submission was rejected. Authors were instructed to attain necessary approvals prior to submission. Every author was assigned a mentor to help polish and finalize the manuscripts; the articles were reviewed by two external reviewers with expertise in the manuscripts’ subject areas. We hope that this special journal issue on sexual risk behaviors and assets among AI/AN youth will lead to increased attention and efforts to meet the health care needs of Native youth and that the tracks that we leave will lead to the elimination of health disparities. STD rates among AI/AN youth are among the highest in the country. In 2009, non-Hispanic AI/ANs had the second highest rates of STDs in the U.S.; compared to non-Hispanic White (NHW) youth, they were 4.5 times as likely to be diagnosed with chlamydia, more than three times as likely to be diagnosed with gonorrhea, and twice as likely to be diagnosed with primary or secondary