Huntington disease among the Navajo: A population-based study in the Navajo Nation

Huntington disease (HD) has a protracted course that imparts substantial personal and economic burden.1 Disease rates vary by geographic location. In Western countries, prevalence approximates 5.7/100,000; rates are tenfold lower in Asia.2 Epidemiologic studies from the United States report on mostly white populations.2 Few studies give rates of HD among minorities, and there are no comprehensive descriptions of HD in American Indians. Better understanding of how the disease affects discrete populations could produce hypotheses for new approaches to treatment. Acknowledgment: The authors thank the members of the Navajo Nation Human Research Review Board for their oversight and support; the communities of the Navajo Nation; the staffs at the participating health care facilities; the IHS National Patient Information Reporting System; Barbara Strzelczyk (IHS) for technical assistance; and Robert C. Holman (CDC) for his dedication to improving the health of American Indians. Bob traveled from Atlanta to Indian country numerous times so that he could better understand the people he studied; his support made these projects possible.