Skip to main content

The 2024 California Health Interview Survey American Indian and Alaska Native Follow-On Study

Highlights

Statewide, approximately half of AIAN adults (50.3%) reported consuming, preparing, or gathering traditional foods, and nearly 1 in 3 AIAN adults (32.0%) reported using ceremonial or traditional medicines for guidance or prayer or other reasons.

Statewide, more than 4 in 5 AIAN adults (82.1%) had received a COVID-19 vaccine, but less than half of those who had received a COVID-19 vaccine received a booster in the past year (41.9%).

Nearly half of AIAN adults who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, or another nonheterosexual identity (including Two-Spirit) reported a depression diagnosis compared to less than one-third of their heterosexual counterparts (49.1% vs. 29.2%).

Summary

Published Date: September 24, 2026

This 2024 California Health Interview Survey follow-on study provides population- representative estimates of cultural practices, chronic conditions, health behaviors, mental health, alcohol use, and drug use among American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) adults living in California.

This report’s weighted findings for 764 self-identified AIAN adults ages 18 and older address existing gaps in statewide data on AIAN communities. The findings underscore the importance of regionally tailored and identity-specific public health strategies, culturally appropriate approaches to health promotion, and continued investment in population- representative AIAN data collection.

Note: Due to the smaller sample size, estimates in this report for measures also available in the main CHIS survey (e.g., high blood pressure) are presented for completeness but are less precise than those obtained from the main CHIS survey. For these measures, please refer to the AskCHIS™ Dashboard for more precise estimates for AIAN adults in California.

Findings: 

  • Statewide, approximately half of AIAN adults (50.3%) reported consuming, preparing, or gathering traditional foods, and nearly 1 in 3 AIAN adults (32.0%) reported using ceremonial or traditional medicines for guidance or prayer or other reasons.
  • Statewide, more than 4 in 5 AIAN adults (82.1%) had received a COVID-19 vaccine, but less than half of those who had received a COVID-19 vaccine received a booster in the past year (41.9%).
  • Nearly half of AIAN adults who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, or another nonheterosexual identity (including Two-Spirit) reported a depression diagnosis compared to less than one-third of their heterosexual counterparts (49.1% vs. 29.2%).

Data Points

43.6%

American Indian and Alaska Native adults in California who did not intend to receive all recommended COVID-19 doses.

50%

AIAN adults living in Northern California reported looking to their AIAN culture for help when physically ill, compared with 18.7% of AIAN adults in Central California and 18.3% of AIAN adults in Southern California.

29.9%

AIAN adults not enrolled in a federally or state recognized Tribe who reported having used ceremonial or traditional medicine, compared with 49.8% of AIAN adults who were enrolled