Although heart disease is the major cause of death for all US women, American Indian women are at an even higher risk due to their rates of obesity, diabetes and binge drinking. Sixty percent of American Indian women are overweight, have a sedentary lifestyle, eat relatively high-fat diets and experience cigarette and alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse is also a leading cause of death and hospitalization among American Indians, ages 45-54. Death due to alcoholism is ten times the rate of U.S. women of other ethnicities. Services for alcohol-related problems are one of the greatest unmet health care needs for American Indian Women.
Violence is reported in sixteen percent of all marital relationships.
End-stage renal disease, which is disease of the kidney, is 2.8 times higher among American Indians than whites. Cervical cancer is another health concern among American Indian women and survival rates are the lowest of all the ethnic groups. The leading causes of death in African-American women are heart disease and cancer, followed by cerebrovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, unintentional injuries, pneumonia, influenza, AIDS, conditions related to pregnancy, childbearing, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and homicide. These findings exist even though black females are generally less likely than white females to report risk behaviors such as smoking cigarettes, consuming alcohol, or using other substances. In 1993, among women, blacks had the highest mortality rates from homicides and firearm-related events.