An Indian reservation is a legal designation for an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the US Bureau of Indian Affairs. Indian reservations hold about 22% of the world 's Native American population and the people living on these reservations are in desperate need of help. Basic needs such as housing, food, and health are not being met. These horrid living conditions are comparable to that of a third world county. However, this is going on in the United States.
The 2008 American Indian census showed that 28.2% of Native Americans are living under the poverty line. This number rises to 38% or even 63% when looking at Native Americans living on Indian reservations. The number of people living under the poverty line in the United States is 15.1%. So we can see that the most neglected parts of the United States are Indian Reservations. Because of the high poverty rates, Head of Households are being forced to leave the reservation in search of work. This leaves the role of caretaker to grandparents and older siblings. Families are being separated and little is being done to stop it.
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Here is a list of just some of the major health issues facing Native Americans living on Indian reservations today.
American Indians are 177% more likely to die from diabetes (2011, Indian Health