Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Marilyn A. Roubidoux, Judith S. Kaur, Dorothy A. Rhoades
Summary: American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) are underserved populations who face various health disparities, including cancer. Limited access to diagnostic radiology and lack of awareness contribute to the high mortality rates of breast, liver, and lung cancers in this population. Improving patient and physician access to medical imaging can enable early detection and improve healthcare outcomes. Increased awareness and outreach efforts are needed to address the cancer disparities among this specific ethnic group.
ACADEMIC RADIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
A. S. Bruegl, J. Emerson, K. Tirumala
Summary: Cervical cancer screening rates among AI/AN women in the Pacific Northwest are below the national average, and HPV vaccination rates are significantly below the Healthy People 2030 goal. These tools are underutilized and efforts should be made to improve cervical cancer prevention and early detection in this population.
GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Marta Engelking, Schelomo Marmor, Mohamad Burjak, Madeleine Hinojos, Whitney Lloyd, Kayla M. Switalla, Todd M. Tuttle
Summary: American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer have higher mortality compared to non-Hispanic whites (NHW). The study aimed to compare rates of initiation of endocrine therapy (ET) between AI/AN and NHW patients and determine survival outcomes for ER+ breast cancer.
BREAST CANCER RESEARCH AND TREATMENT
(2023)
Article
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Allison Empey, Shoshana Zeisman-Pereyo, Peter Mayinger, Katharine E. Zuckerman, Sarah Rasmussen-Rehkopf, Patricia A. Carney, Cynthia L. Taylor, Cynthia Morris, Amanda Bruegl, Polly Olsen, Erik Brodt
Summary: American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) face health disparities due to limited access to culturally congruent healthcare, and there are no premedical postbaccalaureate programs focused on AIAN students. To address this issue, the Northwest Native American Center of Excellence developed the Wy'east Pathway to increase AIANs' matriculation to medical schools. The pathway includes structured programming, mentorship, and cultural events to enhance academic preparation, MCAT scores, and cultural identity. The outcomes showed that all scholars who completed Wy'east earned conditional acceptance to medical school, with the majority matriculating to Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) School of Medicine.
Review
Ergonomics
Kaitlin Wingate, Elizabeth Dalsey, Deborah Poling Scott
Summary: This study conducted a literature review on the issues affecting American Indian and Alaska Native workers in order to gain a better understanding of the topic. The results showed a limited number of relevant articles, highlighting the need for further research and attention to occupational safety and health among AI/AN workers.
JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Chad Danyluck, Irene Blair, Spero M. Manson, Mark L. Laudenslager, Stacie L. Daugherty, Elizabeth Brondolo
Summary: This study investigated the association between interpersonal discrimination and sleep impairment in urban AI/AN. The results showed that lifetime discrimination was associated with sleep impairment, while past-week discrimination was not. Furthermore, education was found to buffer the effects of discrimination on sleep, but income was not.
ANNALS OF BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Health Policy & Services
Eric Strachan, Dedra Buchwald
Summary: Informal caregiving can have negative impacts on the mental and physical health of caregivers, and American Indians and Alaska Natives face unique challenges in this regard. Further research and support are needed for this population.
JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Substance Abuse
Margarita Santiago-Torres, Kristin E. Mull, Brianna M. Sullivan, Diana M. Kwon, Patricia Nez Henderson, Lonnie A. Nelson, Christi A. Patten, Jonathan B. Bricker
Summary: In American Indians and Alaska Natives, the ACT-based smartphone application showed higher efficacy, engagement, and satisfaction for smoking cessation compared to the US Clinical Practice Guidelines-based application. This study provides valuable evidence for tailoring digital interventions for these populations, with potential for broad dissemination and high impact.
NICOTINE & TOBACCO RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Substance Abuse
Lara N. Coughlin, Lewei (Allison) Lin, Mary Jannausch, Mark A. Ilgen, Erin E. Bonar
Summary: The prevalence of methamphetamine use is higher among American Indian and Alaska Native communities compared to the general U.S. population, particularly in rural areas and among those with low income. Those who use methamphetamine are more likely to be male, middle-aged, low income, have severe mental illness, and misuse other substances than those who do not use methamphetamine.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Celina I. Valencia, Samer Asmar, Chiu-Hsieh Hsu, Francine C. Gachupin, Ava C. Wong, Juan Chipollini, Benjamin R. Lee, Ken Batai
Summary: This study found that disparities in renal cell carcinoma in American Indians/Alaska Natives are partially explained by neighborhood factors, while Hispanic Americans do not have the same explanation. In Arizona, greater health disparities were observed for Hispanic Americans and American Indians/Alaska Natives compared to national levels.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Chiao-Wen Lan, Sujata Joshi, Jenine Dankovchik, Candice Jimenez, Elizabeth Needham Waddell, Tam Lutz, Jodi Lapidus
Summary: This study examined the impact of racial misclassification on rates of NAS among American Indians and Alaska Natives in the Pacific Northwest. The results showed that AI/AN newborns were more likely to be diagnosed with NAS compared to NHW newborns, with a higher likelihood in rural areas. Correct racial classification is essential for improving data quality and addressing the disproportionate burden of NAS among AI/AN populations.
JOURNAL OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC HEALTH DISPARITIES
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Emiko Petrosky, Laura M. Mercer Kollar, Megan C. Kearns, Sharon G. Smith, Carter J. Betz, Katherine A. Fowler, Delight E. Satter
Summary: This report summarizes data on American Indian/Alaska Native homicides during 2003-2018, finding that majority of victims were male, homicides occurred mostly in metropolitan areas, firearms were commonly used, and many cases were precipitated by intimate partner violence.
MMWR SURVEILLANCE SUMMARIES
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Vishal Khetpal, James Roosevelt, Eli Y. Adashi
Summary: The Indian Health Service (IHS) is struggling to fulfill its mission of providing health care to American Indians and Alaska Natives due to chronic underfunding and leadership turnover. As more AI/ANs urbanize, there is a call for the creation of a Federal Indian Health Insurance Plan to reduce health disparities.
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Guixiang Zhao, Jason Hsia, Alexander Vigo-Valentin, William S. Garvin, Machell Town
Summary: This study examined the prevalence of health-related behavioral risk factors and obesity among American Indians and Alaska Natives compared to non-Hispanic Whites, both nationwide and across Indian Health Service regions. The findings showed that AI/AN participants had higher rates of smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity compared to non-Hispanic White participants. However, there were some variations in these patterns across different IHS regions.
PREVENTING CHRONIC DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Dornell Pete, Scott L. Erickson, Melissa A. Jim, Sarah M. Hatcher, Abigail Echo-Hawk, Adrian E. Dominguez
Summary: This study evaluates COVID-19 disparities between non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) and non-Hispanic White persons in urban areas. The results show that the COVID-19 infection rate is higher among non-Hispanic AI/AN individuals compared to non-Hispanic White individuals, especially before vaccine availability. The study highlights the importance of COVID-19 vaccination and other public health measures in urban AI/AN communities.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
