Impact of business development, trade promotions and tourism on the health of urban Native American communities in South East Florida

Since 1970, each President has reaffirmed the special government-to-government relationship between Native American tribes and the United States; fostering tribal sovereignty and Indian tribes' rights to enter into contracts and agreements to trade freely, and seek enforcement of treaty and trade rights. As such Native American tribes chart their own economic course. Yet, according to Indian Health Service (IHS) data, Native Americans have a life expectancy that is 2.4 years less than all other races and an infant mortality rate of 8.5 per every 1,000 births compared to 6.8 per 1,000 for all races. Native American homes are twelve times more likely to lack safe and adequate water supply and waste disposal facilities than homes of those not identified as Native American.

To combat disparate rates, of poverty, unemployment and poor health outcomes; the Native American Business Development, Trade Promotion, and Tourism Act of 2000, served to support and enact initiatives that promote and increase business investments, export of Indian goods, and tourism on and in the vicinity of Indian lands. Since its enactment have the economic or health gaps closed for Native Americans? With increased trade, tourism and business are Native Americans seeing better health outcomes?

This study serves to determine the impact of 25 USC CHAPTER 44 on the economic and health outcomes on Native American communities in South East Florida through the analysis of data for the ten year period of 1997 through 2007, coupled with qualitative data from residents of urban Seminole and Miccosukee lands.