Lakota men have a life expectancy of 48 years, and women's life expectancy is 52.
The Lakota infant mortality rate is 300% more than the U.S. Average.
One out of every four Lakota children born are fostered or adopted out to non-Indian homes.
Teenage suicide rate is 150% higher than the U.S national average
DISEASE:
Cervical cancer is 500% higher than the U.S national average.
The rate of diabetes is 800% higher than the U.S national average.
Federal Commodity Food Program provides high sugar, high fat, processed foods that increase our rates of diabetes and heart disease.
POVERTY:
The median income is approximately $2,600 to $3,500 per year.
44% of Lakota people live below the poverty line.
Many families cannot afford heating oil, wood or propane and many residents use ovens to heat their homes.
UNEMPLOYMENT:
Unemployment rates on reservations are 70% or higher. This is 17 times higher than the 2017 national average.
There is very little industry to provide jobs
HOUSING:
Elderly die each winter from hypothermia (freezing).
1/3 of the homes lack basic clean water and sewage while 40% lack electricity.
60% of Reservation families have no telephone.
60% of housing is infected with potentially fatal black molds.
There is an estimated average of 17 people living in each family home (may only have two to three rooms). Some homes, built for 6 to 8 people, have up to 30 people living in them.
DRUGS AND ALCOHOL:
Two thirds of the reservation’s adults battle addiction and disease.
Alcoholism affects 9 in 10 families.
THREATENED CULTURE:
Only 14% of the Lakota population can speak the Lakota language. The language is not systematically shared inter-generationally.
Today, the average age of a fluent Lakota speaker is 65 years.
The Lakota language is an Endangered Language, on the verge of extinction and is not allowed to be taught in the U.S. Government schools.