The Navajo Epidemiology Center (NEC) is a program within the Navajo Department of Health (NDOH), which serves one of the largest Native American tribes in the United States. Navajo Nation covers 27,425 square miles and has a total population of approximately 173,667 (2010 Census). It is estimated that an additional 175,000 tribal members live in border towns and metropolitan areas. Portions of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah extend into the Navajo Nation lands, necessitating collaborative relationships with the “three-states” on a number of fronts, including public health. The Navajo Nation operates one of the largest tribal governments in the United States. It is comprised of the three branches - the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. According to NEC’s mortality report, the Navajo Nation’s top-ten leading causes of death are as follows (from one to ten): unintentional injuries, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, influenza/pneumonia, stroke, dementia, septicemia, and suicide.
The NEC, established in 2005, is responsible for: 1) Managing Navajo Nation’s public health information systems; 2)investigating infectious disease outbreaks and coordinating response activities; 3) Providing data and reports to help health programs effectively manage programs; 5) Responding to public health emergencies; and, 6) coordinating activities with other public health authorities. The NEC’s primary objectives are: data collection, analysis and interpretation; disease surveillance; disease control and prevention; and data sharing. The NEC is one of twelve Tribal Epidemiology Centers across the United States.
Since its inception, the NEC has established successful working relationships with three surrounding states (AZ, NM, UT), regional tribal epidemiology centers, local and regional academic institutions, and federal partners (CDC, ATSDR, IHS). In addition, NEC staff regularly provides public health, epidemiologic and scientific technical assistance to the Navajo Department of Health and participates in local, regional, and national tribal consultation meetings.
The primary focus of this application is to build upon the success from past years to significantly advance progress in the 3 strategic areas outlined herein. Through this application we recognize the need for all to join hands to lend support in our efforts to meet the health care needs of the Navajo people. To effectively reduce the health disparities that affect the Navajo people, we will continue to work together with politicians and policy makers at the local, state, and federal levels, public health professionals, private grant-making foundations, universities, researchers, and community members who want to increase the health status of the Navajo people.