Disparities in Infectious Disease Hospitalizations for American Indian/Alaska Native People

Objective: Reports about infectious disease (ID) hospitalization rates among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons have been constrained by data limited to the tribal health care system and by comparisons with the general US population. We used a merged state database to determine ID hospitalization rates in Alaska. Methods: We combined 2010 and 2011 hospital discharge data from the Indian Health Service and the Alaska State Inpatient Database. We used the merged data set to calculate average annual age-adjusted and age-specific ID hospitalization rates for AI/AN and non-AI/AN persons in Alaska. We stratified the ID hospitalization rates by sex, age, and ID diagnosis. Results: ID diagnoses accounted for 19% (6501 of 34 160) of AI/AN hospitalizations, compared with 12% (7397 of 62 059) of non-AI/AN hospitalizations. The average annual age-adjusted hospitalization rate was >3 times higher for AI/AN persons (2697 per 100 000 population) than for non-AI/AN persons (730 per 100 000 population; rate ratio = 3.7, P < .001). Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), which occurred in 38% (2486 of 6501) of AI/AN persons, was the most common reason for ID hospitalization. AI/AN persons were significantly more likely than non-AI/AN persons to be hospitalized for LRTI (rate ratio = 5.2, P < .001). Conclusions: A substantial disparity in ID hospitalization rates exists between AI/AN and non-AI/AN persons, and the most common reason for ID hospitalization among AI/AN persons was LRTI. Public health programs and policies that address the risk factors for LRTI are likely to benefit AI/AN persons.

Download Full-text

American Indian and Alaska Native People: Social Vulnerability and COVID‐19

The Journal of Rural Health ◽

10.1111/jrh.12505 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

pp. 256-259 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elizabeth D. Hathaway

Keyword(s):

American Indian ◽

Alaska Native ◽

Social Vulnerability ◽

Native People

Download Full-text

Trends in Deaths Fully Attributable to Alcohol in Minnesota, 2000-2018

Public Health Reports ◽

10.1177/00333549211044019 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 003335492110440

Author(s):

Nicholas J. Braun ◽

Kari M. Gloppen ◽

Jon Roesler

Keyword(s):

Mortality Rate ◽

American Indian ◽

Alaska Native ◽

Average Rate ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

Mortality Rates ◽

Native People ◽

Attributable Mortality ◽

Mortality Data ◽

Alcohol Outlet

Objective Overall trends in rates of fully alcohol-attributable mortality may mask disparities among demographic groups. We investigated overall, demographic, and geographic trends in fully alcohol-attributable mortality rates in Minnesota. Methods We obtained mortality data from Minnesota death certificates and defined fully alcohol-attributable deaths as deaths that would not occur in the absence of alcohol. We calculated age-adjusted death rates during 2000-2018 using 5-year moving averages stratified by decedents’ characteristics and geographic location. Results Chronic conditions accounted for most of the alcohol-attributable deaths in Minnesota (89% during 2014-2018). Alcohol-attributable mortality rates per 100 000 population increased from an average rate of 8.0 during 2000-2004 to 12.6 during 2014-2018. During 2000-2018, alcohol-attributable mortality rates were highest among males (vs females), adults aged 55-64 (vs other ages), and American Indian/Alaska Native people (vs other racial and ethnic groups) and lowest among people aged ≤24 years and Asian or Pacific Islander people. During 2014-2018, the alcohol-attributable mortality rate among American Indian/Alaska Native people was more than 5 times higher than the overall mortality rate in Minnesota. Conclusions Results from this study may increase awareness of racial and ethnic disparities and continuing health inequities and inform public health prevention efforts, such as those recommended by the Community Preventive Services Task Force, including regulating alcohol outlet density and increasing alcohol taxes.

Download Full-text