title: Rationale, design and methodology for the Navajo Health and Nutrition Survey.
abstract: As recently as 1990, there was no reservation-wide, population-based health status information about Navajo Indians. To remedy this shortcoming, the Navajo Health and Nutrition Survey was conducted from 1991 to 1992 to assess the health and nutritional status of Navajo Reservation residents using a population-based sample. Using a three-stage design, a representative sample of reservation households was selected for inclusion. All members of selected households 12 y of age and older were invited to participate. A total of 985 people in 459 households participated in the study. Survey protocols were modeled on those of previous national surveys and included a standard blood chemistry profile, complete blood count, oral glucose tolerance test, blood pressure, anthropometric measurements, a single 24-h dietary recall and a questionnaire on health behaviors. The findings from this survey, reported in the accompanying papers, inform efforts to prevent and control chronic disease among the Navajo. Lessons learned from this survey may be of interest to those conducting similar surveys in other American Indian and Alaska Native populations.
authors.affiliation: Kayenta Service Unit, Navajo Area Indian Health Service, Kayenta, AZ 86033, USA.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: H I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ballew
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mendlein
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Percy
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Mokdad
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012107:Research Design; D015206:Southwestern United States