scholarly journals Siu G. Wong, O.D., M.P.H.

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-59
Author(s):  
Siu G. Wong
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Chinese Americans ◽  
The United States ◽  
Indian Health Service ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Special Olympics ◽  
Indian Health ◽  
The University

This memoir, written by Dr. Siu G. Wong, chronicles her early influences and education, and profiles her first career as a public health optometrist and her second career as a community activist and public historian. Dr. Wong graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with her doctorate in optometry in 1970 and received her master's in public health in 1973. Her first position as an educator at the University of Houston (UH) included pioneering an interdisciplinary community health program in a low-income neighborhood as well as coordinating the first externship program for UH optometry students with the United States Public Health Service-Indian Health Service (USPHS-IHS). Dr. Wong joined the USPHS in 1978 where she was the first female commissioned officer assigned to the Indian Health Service (IHS), the first chief optometrist of an administrative region, and eventually the first woman to hold the position of chief optometric consultant to the IHS. During her tenure, she spearheaded quality assurance programs and was active in both the American Optometric Association (AOA) and the American Public Health Association (APHA), serving in leadership roles in the AOA's Council on Clinical Optometric Care, Hospital Privileges Committee, the QA Committee, and the Multidisciplinary Practice Section. She also became a member of the APHA's Vision Care Section and the Armed Forces Optometric Society. After retirement, Dr. Wong continued her role in public service, serving as the Clinical Director for the Special Olympics Opening Eyes program and as a clnical consultant. She became active also in public history, joining the Chinese American Citizens Alliance where she works to raise awareness of the contributions of Chinese Americans to American history. This article was annotated by Kirsten Hebert.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Indigenous Representation in Public Health Data

2021 ◽  
Vol 111 (S3) ◽  
pp. S208-S214
Author(s):  
Kimberly R. Huyser ◽  
Aggie J. Yellow Horse ◽  
Alena A. Kuhlemeier ◽  
Michelle R. Huyser
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Alaska Native ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Indian Health Service ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Indian Health ◽  
Public Health Data ◽  
Indigenous Representation ◽  
Tribal Governments

Public Health 3.0 calls for the inclusion of new partners and novel data to bring systemic change to the US public health landscape. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has illuminated significant data gaps influenced by ongoing colonial legacies of racism and erasure. American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations and communities have been disproportionately affected by incomplete public health data and by the COVID-19 pandemic itself. Our findings indicate that only 26 US states were able to calculate COVID-19‒related death rates for AI/AN populations. Given that 37 states have Indian Health Service locations, we argue that public health researchers and practitioners should have a far larger data set of aggregated public health information on AI/AN populations. Despite enormous obstacles, local Tribal facilities have created effective community responses to COVID-19 testing, tracking, and vaccine administration. Their knowledge can lead the way to a healthier nation. Federal and state governments and health agencies must learn to responsibly support Tribal efforts, collect data from AI/AN persons in partnership with Indian Health Service and Tribal governments, and communicate effectively with Tribal authorities to ensure Indigenous data sovereignty. (Am J Public Health. 2021;111(S3): S208–S214. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306415 )

scholarly journals Incidence, deaths, and lifetime costs of injury among American Indians and Alaska Natives

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda A. Honeycutt ◽  
Olga Khavjou ◽  
Simon J. Neuwahl ◽  
Grant A. King ◽  
Meredith Anderson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Injury Prevention ◽  
American Indians ◽  
Motor Vehicle ◽  
Medical Costs ◽  
The United States ◽  
Indian Health Service ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Indian Health ◽  
Productivity Losses

Abstract Background In the United States, the mortality burden of injury is higher among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) than any other racial/ethnic group, and injury contributes to considerable medical costs, years of potential life lost (YPLL), and productivity loss among AI/AN. This study assessed the economic burden of injuries for AI/AN who are eligible for services through Indian Health Service, analyzing direct medical costs of injury for Indian Health Service’s users and years of potential life lost (YPLL) and the value of productivity losses from injury deaths for AI/AN in the Indian Health Service population. Methods Injury-related lifetime medical costs were estimated for Indian Health Service users with medically treated injuries using data from the 2011–2015 National Data Warehouse. Productivity costs and YPLL were estimated using data on injury-related deaths among AI/AN in Indian Health Service’s 2008–2010 service population. Costs were reported in 2017 U.S. dollars. Results The total estimated costs of injuries per year, including injuries among Indian Health Service users and productivity losses from injury-related deaths, were estimated at $4.5 billion. Lifetime medical costs to treat annual injuries among Indian Health Service users were estimated at $549 million, with the largest share ($131 million) going toward falls, the most frequent injury cause. Total estimated YPLL from AI/AN injury deaths in Indian Health Service’s service population were 106,400. YPLL from injury deaths for men (74,000) were 2.2 times YPLL for women (33,000). Productivity losses from all injury-related deaths were $3.9 billion per year. The highest combined lifetime medical and mortality costs were for motor vehicle/traffic injuries, with an estimated cost of $1.6 billion per year. Conclusions Findings suggest that targeted injury prevention efforts by Indian Health Service likely contributed to lower rates of injury among AI/AN, particularly for motor vehicle/traffic injuries. However, because of remaining disparities in injury-related outcomes between AI/AN and all races in the United States, Indian Health Service should continue to monitor changes in injury incidence and costs over time, evaluate the impacts of previous injury prevention investments on current incidence and costs, and identify additional injury prevention investment needs.

scholarly journals Rat-Bite Fever in the United States: An Analysis Using Multiple National Data Sources, 2001–2015

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pallavi A Kache ◽  
Marissa K Person ◽  
Sara M Seeman ◽  
John R McQuiston ◽  
Jeffrey McCollum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Health Service ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hospitalization Rate ◽  
Indian Health Service ◽  
Indian Health ◽  
Visit Rate ◽  
Bite Injury ◽  
Rat Bite Fever

Abstract Background Rat-bite fever is a rare disease associated with rat bites or direct/indirect rodent contact. Methods We examined rat-bite fever and rat-bite injury diagnoses in the United States during 2001–2015. We analyzed national, state, and Indian Health Service healthcare encounter datasets for rat-bite fever and rat-bite injury diagnoses. We calculated average-annual encounter rates per 1 000 000 persons. Results Nationally, the rat-bite fever Emergency Department visit rate was 0.33 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.19–0.47) and the hospitalization rate was 0.20 (95% CI, 0.17–0.24). The rat-bite injury Emergency Department visit rate was 10.51 (95% CI, 10.13–10.88) and the hospitalization rate was 0.27 (95% CI, 0.23–0.30). The Indian Health Service Emergency Department/outpatient visit rate was 3.00 for rat-bite fever and 18.89 for rat-bite injury. The majority of rat-bite fever encounters were among individuals 0–19 years of age. Conclusions Our results support the literature that rat-bite fever is rare and affects children and young adults. Targeted education could benefit specific risk groups.

scholarly journals Trends in Indicators of Injection Drug Use, Indian Health Service, 2010-2014

2020 ◽  
Vol 135 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-471
Author(s):  
Mary E. Evans ◽  
Marissa Person ◽  
Brigg Reilley ◽  
Jessica Leston ◽  
Richard Haverkate ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Use ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Injection Drug Use ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hcv Infection ◽  
Injection Drug ◽  
Indian Health Service ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Indian Health

Objectives Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV transmission in the United States may increase as a result of increasing rates of opioid use disorder (OUD) and associated injection drug use (IDU). Epidemiologic trends among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons are not well known. Methods We analyzed 2010-2014 Indian Health Service data on health care encounters to assess regional and temporal trends in IDU indicators among adults aged ≥18 years. IDU indicators included acute or chronic HCV infection (only among adults aged 18-35 years), arm cellulitis and abscess, OUD, and opioid-related overdose. We calculated rates per 10 000 AI/AN adults for each IDU indicator overall and stratified by sex, age group, and region and evaluated rate ratios and trends by using Poisson regression analysis. Results Rates of HCV infection among adults aged 18-35 increased 9.4% per year, and rates of OUD among all adults increased 13.3% per year from 2010 to 2014. The rate of HCV infection among young women was approximately 1.3 times that among young men. Rates of opioid-related overdose among adults aged <50 years were approximately 1.4 times the rates among adults aged ≥50 years. Among young adults with HCV infection, 25.6% had concurrent OUD. Among all adults with arm cellulitis and abscess, 5.6% had concurrent OUD. Conclusions Rates of HCV infection and OUD increased significantly in the AI/AN population. Strengthened public health efforts could ensure that AI/AN communities can address increasing needs for culturally appropriate interventions, including comprehensive syringe services programs, medication-assisted treatment, and opioid-related overdose prevention and can meet the growing need for treatment of HCV infection.

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