median age is over 10 years younger than that of the general U.S. population, whose poverty and unemployment rates are close to four times higher, and whose average family size is one full person larger.

The lower median age among American Indians reflects their higher fertility and mortality rates, as discussed elsewhere in this volume. In addition, a population with a lower median age than that of another probably has a higher proportion of adult women in younger age groups, which may well affect differences in marital patterns across populations. Poverty and unemployment represent obvious disadvantages. In addition, larger families have more difficulty making ends meet, other things being equal (Blake, 1989; Sandefur and Sakamoto, 1988; Sweet and Bumpass, 1987).

Each of the ten largest reservations has its own set of distinctive characteristics. The Navajo reservation is located in three states—Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah—and the Zuni Pueblo is in both Arizona and New Mexico. Pine Ridge and Rosebud are Sioux reservations in South Dakota, and the Blackfoot reservation is in Montana. The other reservations are in Arizona. Fort Apache and San Carlos are Apache reservations; Gila River contains the Pima and Maricopa; the Papago have expressed an official preference to be known as the T'Ohono Odham. The populations of these reservations are characterized by their youthfulness, large families, and extraordinarily high poverty and unemployment rates.

Previous research suggests that the characteristics shown in Table 9-1 may very well be connected with the family patterns described below. The median age, poverty rate, and unemployment rate both reflect and affect fertility, marriage, and family patterns among the different segments of the American Indian population, including the reservations. Poor and unemployed individuals are less likely to marry and more likely to divorce (Cherlin, 1992). Consequently, variations in poverty and unemployment across different populations are generally associated with differences in family patterns.

In addition, the sex ratio and the rate of female labor force participation are likely associated with family patterns. The sex ratio—the ratio of men to women—for individuals aged 25-34 is higher for the U.S. Indian population and considerably higher for the Alaska NVSAs than it is for the U.S. population in general. But it is lower for the reservation Indian population and the Oklahoma TJSAs than for the U.S. population in general. Among the reservations, the sex ratio ranges from 87.7 on the Gila River reservation to 110.1 on the Hopi reservation. The sex ratio varies significantly across these reservations.

Table 9-1 displays differences in women's labor force participation across segments of the American Indian population. The female labor force participation rates are very similar for the general U.S. population

Front matter (R1-R12)

1 Introduction (1-14)

I Overview of Demographic and Health Conditions (15-16)

2 The Size and Distribution of the American Indian Population: Fertility, Mortality, Residence, and Migration (17-52)

3 Recent Health Trends in the Native American Population (53-76)

II Indentification: Indications and Consequences (77-78)

4 The Growing American Indian Population, 1960-1990: Beyond Demography (79-102)

5 Tribal Membership Requirements and the Demography of (103-112)

6 Problems in Sampling the Native American and Alaska Native Populations (113-130)

III Social and Economic Conditions (131-132)

7 The Individual Economic Well-Being of Native American Men and Women During the 1980s: A Decade of Moving Backwards (133-171)

8 American Indian Poverty on Reservations, 1969-1989 (172-195)

9 The Demography of American Indian Families (196-217)

10 Demography of American Indian Elders: Social, Economic, and Health Status (218-232)

IV Health Issues and Health Care Access and Utilization (233-234)

11 Overview of Alcohol Abuse Epidemiology for American Indian Populations (235-261)

12 Diabetes Mellitus in Native Americans: The Problem and Its Implications (262-288)

13 Health Care Utilization, Expenditures, and Insurance Coverage for American Indians and Alaska Natives Eligible for the Indian Health Service (289-314)