Between 1988 and 1990, nearly 14,000 American Indian and Alaska Native adolescents living in rural areas and on reservations participated in the Adolescent Health Survey of health and risk behaviors. Although the findings may not be representative of Native adolescents, as a convenience sample was used, some findings of the survey were: (1) less than half of study participants live with two parents; (2) nearly 8 out of 10 teens say their families care about them a great deal; (3) the 20% of Indian youths who report fair or poor health tend to abuse drugs and to be suicidal; (4) a high proportion (40% of females, 21% of males) report being overweight; (5) approximately 14% of respondents are at high risk for health problems due to lack of exercise and dietary problems; (6) a high frequency of engaging in vehicle-related risk behaviors (i.e. driving under the influence of alcohol, riding motorcycles, and not wearing seatbelts) that increase their risk for serious injuries; (7) while most reservation youth report being happy (80%), many are bored (65%), tense, stressed, burnt out (20-27%), and nearly half are worried about their future job prospects; (8) about two-thirds of American Indian high school seniors report engaging in sexual intercourse, but 29% and 44% of sexually active males and females, respectively, use no contraception; and (9) by 12th grade 27% of males and 14% of females consume alcohol weekly, and 20% of males and 12% of females use marijuana weekly. Although Native American youth have major health needs, survey results indicate that most teenagers are not depressed, not chemically dependent, and that most of the female teenagers have not been pregnant. (KS)