title: Health risks in American Indian adolescents: a descriptive study of a rural, non-reservation sample.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify health risks among a rural, non-reservation group of American Indian adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A non-reservation sample of 243 American Indian students from a total sample of 1,815 students in a southwestern state completed health-risk screenings in the public schools. The students were between 14 and 18 years of age and in grades 9 through 12. Archival survey data were analyzed by age, gender, and race.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Student reports of health-risk behaviors in the areas of physical health, substance use, emotional health, risk of injury, perceived grades, and academic expectations were examined. The majority of study participants reported average or below levels of health risks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-reservation American Indian students have average or better health habits and expect to continue their educations beyond high school. There are some differences by gender and age.
authors.affiliation: University of North Dakota, USA. jgray@gfhnrc.ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: Jacqueline S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Carrie L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Winterowd
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012424:Rural Population