Native American Community Health
The Indian Health Services notes that "The American Indian and Alaska Native people have long experienced lower health status when compared with other Americans. Lower life expectancy and the disproportionate disease burden exist perhaps because of inadequate education, disproportionate poverty, discrimination in the delivery of health services, and cultural differences. These are broad quality of life issues rooted in economic adversity and poor social conditions."
The US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health notes that "according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted American Indian/Alaska Native populations across the country, with infection rates over 3.5 times higher than non-Hispanic whites. Additionally, American Indian/Alaska Native communities are more likely to develop chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and have a higher prevalence of obesity. These underlying health conditions can put people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19."
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