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AUGUST 11, 2000

The health and well-being of the elderly and the poverty rates of the young are the subject of reports released by two national agencies this week.

According to the National Institute of Aging report, "Older Americans 2000: Key Indicators of Well Being," the population of older Americans has increased ten-fold since 1900. By 2050, the population age 65 and older will more than double.

Native American elderly currently make up an estimated 0.4 percent of the national population. By 2030, the population is expected to grow to 0.6 percent.

In terms of actual numbers, these represent 152,000 Native elders today. But by 2050, this number will grow to 530,000, representing significant growth in this segment of Indian Country.

While elderly Americans overall are living longer and are more healthy, ethnic minorities don't always follow those trends. For example, the average life expectancy of African-Americans is lower than white Americans.

The report does not break down statistics for Native Americans or Alaska Natives.

On the other end of the age spectrum, the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) says there are 13.5 million children living. The number represents 18.7 percent of all American children, based on 1998 statistics.

With the national poverty threshold for a family of four at $16,660, children in some states experience poverty at rates higher than their counterparts. Arizona, California, Louisiana, New Mexico, New York, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia, all have rates significantly higher than the national average.

The report does not specifically cite numbers for Indian children. But California, Arizona, and New Mexico are among the states with the highest Indian populations.

In California, 23.3 percent of children are living in poverty. In Arizona and New Mexico, the rate was about 26 percent. The District of Columbia is the highest of all, however, with a poverty rate of 45.3 percent.

The NCCP says reducing poverty makes children more ready to learn when they enter school. They also cite improved health, less strain on health care systems, less stress on the juvenile justice system, and less hunger and malnutrition.

Indian juvenile crime was the subject of another recent report.

Get the Reports:
Older Americans 2000: Key Indicators of Well-Being (National Institute of Aging, August 2000
Child Poverty in the States: Levels and Trends from 1979 to 1998 (The National Center for Children in Poverty, August 2000)

Relevant Links:
The National Institute of Aging, National Institute of Health - www.nih.gov/nia
Work Group on Minority Aging Newsletter - www.nih.gov/nia/news/wgma
National Center for Children in Poverty - cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/nccp

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