Podcast Summary
Journalist Jordan Bennett Begay's eagerness for data on COVID-19 impact on Native Americans: Data confirms disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Native Americans and Alaska Natives, highlighting existing health inequities and the need for accurate and timely data.
The BBC provides valuable information and perspectives that help broaden our understanding of the world. This was highlighted in the discussion about journalist Jordan Bennett Begay, who had been eagerly awaiting data on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on American Indians and Alaska Natives from the CDC. The data, when it was finally released, confirmed what many Native public health experts already knew – that Native Americans and Alaskan Natives are disproportionately affected by the virus. However, the report also provided new insights, such as the fact that these communities are 3.5 times more likely to contract the virus than white people. The data underscores the existing inequities that make Native communities more vulnerable to the virus, and the severe measures being taken in some areas, such as the Navajo Nation, to contain its spread. Overall, the discussion underscores the importance of accurate and timely data, as well as the role of journalists like Jordan in bringing attention to underreported stories and issues.
Data gap hinders effective response to COVID-19 in Native American and Alaskan Native communities: Lack of comprehensive data hinders the ability to create policies and distribute vaccines where they are most needed in Native American and Alaskan Native communities, exacerbating the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on these populations
Native American and Alaskan Native tribal nations have faced significant challenges in the COVID-19 pandemic due to a lack of comprehensive data. While some tribes, like the Navajo Nation, have received widespread attention for their high infection rates, many others, such as the Colorado River Indian tribes in Arizona and California, the Yakima in Washington state, and the White Mountain Apache tribe in Arizona, also have higher infection rates than hard-hit states in the northeast. However, data from the states where many of these reservations are located was not included in a recent CDC report, making it difficult to understand the full scope of the issue and allocate resources effectively. This lack of data hinders the ability to create policies and distribute vaccines where they are most needed. The CDC report does acknowledge that Native Americans and Alaskan Natives are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, but more data is necessary to address the root causes and mitigate the impact on these communities.
CDC report reveals disparities in COVID-19 cases among young Native Americans and Alaskan Natives: Persistent social and economic inequities contribute to higher COVID-19 rates in Native American and Alaskan Native communities. Data gaps in reporting limit a comprehensive understanding of the situation.
The CDC report revealed higher COVID-19 positive rates among young people in Native American and Alaskan Native communities compared to white people. This disparity is primarily due to persistent social and economic inequities, including lack of access to healthy food, housing, and income. The report, however, left out significant data from states like Arizona, Oklahoma, California, Colorado, and thousands of cases, which could have provided a more comprehensive understanding of the situation. The incomplete data recording was surprising, considering the high number of cases in Native American communities in states like Arizona, where crucial data was missing. The report's limitations and the significant data gaps highlight the need for increased investment in public health infrastructure and complete data collection to effectively address health disparities in these communities.
Historical mistrust of IHS leads to rise of tribally operated clinics: Tribal healthcare clinics, which make up 80% of healthcare facilities in tribal areas, are hesitant to share data due to past experiences and concerns about accuracy of reporting ethnicity and race.
The historical underfunding and mistrust of the Indian Health Service (IHS) in providing adequate healthcare to tribal communities, highlighted during the pandemic, has led to the rise of tribally operated health clinics. These clinics, which now make up about 80% of healthcare facilities in tribal areas, are hesitant to share data with the federal government and even with external entities due to a history of distrust and past experiences of exploitative research practices. Additionally, there are concerns about the accuracy of reporting ethnicity and race in medical records, which can further complicate data collection and distribution. Ultimately, these issues underscore the importance of understanding the unique needs and complexities of tribal healthcare systems and fostering trust and collaboration to ensure equitable access to healthcare information and resources.
Underrepresented Communities and COVID-19 Data: Accurate data is essential to understand the pandemic's impact on underrepresented communities, but incorrect assumptions and underfunded public health infrastructure can lead to undercounting and incomplete data, potentially underestimating the true impact.
Accurate data is crucial in understanding and addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on various communities, particularly those that have been historically underrepresented or undercounted, such as Native American and Alaskan Native populations. The incorrect assumptions and racial misclassifications about people's origins can lead to incomplete data on death certificates, which can hinder efforts to prevent and control the spread of the virus. Moreover, the lack of trust and underfunded public health infrastructure in these communities further exacerbates the issue. For instance, there is a significant gap in COVID hospitalization data for Native American and Alaskan Native individuals compared to white people. This lack of data can lead to inaccurate statistics and potentially underestimate the true impact of the pandemic on these communities. One epidemiologist, Dean Seneca, believes that the CDC's estimate that Native Americans and Alaska Natives are 3.5 times more likely to get the virus might be an underestimation due to the severe undercounting of cases. Jordan Bennett Begay, a reporter at Indian Country Today, is trying to address this issue by compiling her own datasets on COVID cases, deaths, test rates, and other metrics from tribal nations. Her efforts highlight the importance of accurate data and the need for better representation and understanding of these communities by public health departments and organizations like the CDC.
Building relationships for accurate reporting: Effective data collection in journalism involves personal connections with underrepresented communities during a crisis to ensure accuracy and build trust.
Effective data collection in journalism, particularly when it comes to reporting on underrepresented communities like tribal nations during a crisis, requires a human touch. Jordan and her team at the news organization are not just relying on data scraped from social media or emails. They are making personal connections with tribal leaders and members to verify information and build trust. This approach not only ensures the accuracy of the data but also allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the situation on the ground. The team's efforts have been recognized by researchers at Johns Hopkins Center For American Indian Health, leading to a partnership to create a more comprehensive database of information about the virus's impact on tribal nations. This collaboration is a testament to the importance of building relationships and understanding communities to provide accurate and meaningful reporting.
Journalistic curiosity drives data partnerships: Determined journalists can form valuable partnerships to gather crucial data and inform the public, especially in underrepresented communities
Journalists, like Jordan Bennett McGay from Indian Country Today, are driven to gather data themselves when it's not readily available. McGay's determination led to a partnership with Johns Hopkins and other organizations to better understand the impact of COVID-19 in underrepresented communities. This collaboration is a testament to the power of journalistic curiosity and the importance of data in informing the public. The nonprofit news organization Indian Country Today, which McGay is a part of, relies on audience support to continue its vital work. This episode was produced by Maddie Sofia and Brett Bachman, edited by Jeff Brumfield, fact-checked by Burleigh McCoy and Maddie Sofia, and supported by Easycater, a company that helps businesses manage their food needs.
