This is the second volume of a two-volume special issue of the American Indian Culture and Research Journal, volume 44.3, dedicated to the indirect impact of COVID-19 on Indigenous Peoples. The first volume (44.2) covers the degree to which Indigenous Peoples were affected by COVID-19 and how this has resulted in a number of responses at the community and local levels. In particular, three articles conducted different surveys in order to assess the levels of stress, coping, and resil-ience among Indigenous Peoples in the United States and relative to non-Indigenous peoples. The observed higher levels of stress are consistent with expectations given existing disparities in health access and care for these US populations. The first volume also provides some insight into the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand and Canada. While these Indigenous Peoples have not, at least up to this point, experienced as many cases or deaths due to COVID-19 as Indigenous Peoples in the United States, the papers from those countries highlight the ongoing need for prevention and awareness for especially vulnerable populations, as well as inclusion in national planning efforts.
The articles in this issue provide specific research and insights for improving the reporting, identifying, and prevention of COVID-19 cases and deaths. The first two articles focus on the concept of identification in national, regional and local health data. For small populations, and, in particular, Indigenous Peoples, it is imperative that data collection provide detailed information on race and tribal nation identifiers. These measures, difficult to implement, are vital for identifying the spread and transmission of contagious diseases in small communities. In the absence of this information, these populations quickly may be inundated by cases without much warning.
Additional Information
Carroll, Stephanie; Randall Akee, Chandra Ford, eds. Tools to Promote Equity and Best Practices. (2020). American Indian Culture and Research Journal. Vol. 44, No. 3. American Indian Studies Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.