Disparities Made Invisible: Gaps in COVID-19 Data for American Indian and Alaska Native Populations

Alexandra Skinner; Julia Raifman; Elizabeth Ferrara; Will Raderman; Talia M Quandelacy

doi:10.1089/heq.2021.0129

Disparities Made Invisible: Gaps in COVID-19 Data for American Indian and Alaska Native Populations

Health Equity. 2022 Mar 8;6(1):226-229. doi: 10.1089/heq.2021.0129. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Alexandra Skinner¹, Julia Raifman¹, Elizabeth Ferrara¹, Will Raderman¹, Talia M Quandelacy²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
² Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado, USA.

Abstract

Introduction: Complete COVID-19 data for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations are critical to equitable pandemic response.

Methods: We used the COVID-19 U.S. State Policy database to document gaps in COVID-19 data reporting for AI/AN people.

Results: Sixty-four percent of states do not report AI/AN data for at least one COVID-19 health metric: cases, hospitalizations, deaths, or vaccinations.

Discussion: The lack of AI/AN-specific data masks the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 and presents challenges to COVID-19 prevention, policy implementation, and health equity.

Conclusions: Public-facing data disaggregated by race may facilitate rapid response COVID-19 research and policymaking to support AI/AN communities.

Keywords: American Indian/Alaska Native; COVID-19; data collection; data reporting; health disparities.

Abstract

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