The changing sex ratio of the Navajo tribe

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Abstract
The sex ratio of the Navajo Tribe shifted since the 1940''s and now shows a preponderance of women rather than men. The reasons for this shift, which roughly parallel a similar shift in the general population of the USA, are a decline in maternal mortality rates; an increase in male mortality rates, particularly from accidents; and greater out-migration of men than women. Some consequences of the changing ratio include increasing proportion of young widows with dependent children; a growing desire for labor force participation on the part of women; out-marriage of Navajo women; and, in the future, the probable isolation of elderly widows who may become the responsibility of social welfare agencies.