Risk perception, adaptation, and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Alaska Natives

Doren, Taylor P. van; Zajdman, Deborah; Brown, Ryan Andrew; Gandhi, Priya; Heintz, Ron A.; Busch, Lisa; Simmons, Callie; Paddock, Raymond

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115609

Cited by 12 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Meanwhile, Alaskan tribal communities collaborated and communicated with state public health officials at every level of the COVID-19 response 75. At the micro level, increased community engagement and the households’ continuation of subsistence activities not just for food but also for mental well-being signify a constructive way to deal with COVID-19 crises 51. Moreover, strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines, community-centred behaviour and higher vaccination acceptance rates reflect the Alaskans’ ability to adjust in their everyday lives 51 76.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the micro level, increased community engagement and the households’ continuation of subsistence activities not just for food but also for mental well-being signify a constructive way to deal with COVID-19 crises 51. Moreover, strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines, community-centred behaviour and higher vaccination acceptance rates reflect the Alaskans’ ability to adjust in their everyday lives 51 76. These coping, adaptive and transformative abilities of Alaskan communities, no doubt, have curtailed the potential loss of life.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Even though vulnerable, Alaskan communities have curtailed adverse COVID-19 impacts due to the strong measures taken for its containment at the early stages of the pandemic, remoteness (ie, two-thirds of the land area is unreachable by road or ferry), livelihoods based on subsistence activities and a relatively low concentration of people aged 65 or above (12.52%) compared with the USA (16.3%) 32 51–53. Further, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s COVID-19 awareness programme in different Native languages and a higher vaccination rate have significantly reduced the risk for COVID-19-associated hospitalisation and deaths 31 32…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Incorporating resilience when assessing pandemic risk in the Arctic: a case study of Alaska

et al. 2023

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The discourse on vulnerability to COVID-19 or any other pandemic is about the susceptibility to the effects of disease outbreaks. Over time, vulnerability has been assessed through various indices calculated using a confluence of societal factors. However, categorising Arctic communities, without considering their socioeconomic, cultural and demographic uniqueness, into the high and low continuum of vulnerability using universal indicators will undoubtedly result in the underestimation of the communities’ capacity to withstand and recover from pandemic exposure. By recognising vulnerability and resilience as two separate but interrelated dimensions, this study reviews the Arctic communities’ ability to cope with pandemic risks. In particular, we have developed a pandemic vulnerability–resilience framework for Alaska to examine the potential community-level risks of COVID-19 or future pandemics. Based on the combined assessment of the vulnerability and resilience indices, we found that not all highly vulnerable census areas and boroughs had experienced COVID-19 epidemiological outcomes with similar severity. The more resilient a census area or borough is, the lower the cumulative death per 100 000 and case fatality ratio in that area. The insight that pandemic risks are the result of the interaction between vulnerability and resilience could help public officials and concerned parties to accurately identify the populations and communities at most risk or with the greatest need, which, in turn, helps in the efficient allocation of resources and services before, during and after a pandemic. A resilience–vulnerability-focused approach described in this paper can be applied to assess the potential effect of COVID-19 and similar future health crises in remote regions or regions with large Indigenous populations in other parts of the world.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Incorporating resilience when assessing pandemic risk in the Arctic: a case study of Alaska

et al. 2023

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite considerable vulnerabilities, many Alaska Native communities responded proactively to the novel stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic [ 10 ]. People living in remote communities reported prioritising the knowledge, and protection, of Elders, which affected individual safety decisions related to mask use and vaccination [ 10 , 11 ]. Surveys collected from Alaska Native people living in remote communities during the early months of the pandemic showed that although traditional hunting camps were cancelled to limit social contact, overall access to traditionally harvested foods was minimally disrupted [ 2 , 6 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A qualitative exploration of the impacts of COVID-19 in two rural Southwestern Alaska communities

Cueva,

Peterson,

Chaliak

et al. 2024

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

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This manuscript presents a qualitative exploration of the experiences of people in two Southwestern Alaska communities during the emergence of COVID-19 and subsequent pandemic response. The project used principles of community based participatory research and honoured Indigenous ways of knowing throughout the study design, data collection, analysis, and dissemination. Data was collected in 2022 through group and individual conversations with community members, exploring impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants included Elders, community health workers, Tribal council members, government employees, school personnel, and emergency response personnel. Notes and written responses were coded using thematic qualitative analysis. The most frequently identified themes were 1) feeling disconnected from family, friends, and other relationships, 2) death, 3) the Tribal councils did a good job, and 4) loss of celebrations and ceremonies. While the findings highlighted grief and a loss of social cohesion due to the pandemic, they also included indicators of resilience and thriving, such as appropriate and responsive local governance, revitalisation of traditional medicines, and coming together as a community to survive. This case study was conducted as part of an international collaboration to identify community-driven, evidence-based recommendations to inform pan-Arctic collaboration and decision making in public health during global emergencies.

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Enhancing sleep health in urban American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents: Implications for culturally tailored interventions

Dong,

Brown,

Palimaru

et al. 2024

Journal of Adolescence

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BackgroundUrban American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents are vulnerable to sleep and other health‐related disparities due to numerous social drivers, including historical trauma and relocation to urban areas. This study aims to identify strategies to increase protective factors and culturally tailor sleep health interventions for this population.MethodsUsing community‐based participatory research, the NAYSHAW study conducted in‐depth interviews with urban AI/AN adolescents aged 12–19 years to understand critical components needed for developing a culturally sensitive sleep health intervention. Data from two qualitative subsamples (N = 46) and parent surveys (N = 110) were analyzed, focusing on factors that affect sleep health behaviors, including parental involvement, technology, and traditional practices.ResultsKey findings include the detrimental impact of electronics use at night and protective effects of traditional practices on sleep. Parental involvement in sleep routines varied by adolescent's age. Adolescents desired sleep health education in interactive formats, whereas parents preferred workshops and digital applications for sleep health strategies. Findings suggest that interventions need to address electronics use and should also be culturally tailored to address the unique experiences of urban AI/AN adolescents.ConclusionsResults underscore the importance of utilizing community‐based strategies to develop culturally tailored sleep interventions for underserved populations, specifically urban AI/AN adolescents. Integrating traditional practices with evidence‐based sleep health strategies can provide a holistic approach to improving sleep and overall well‐being. Parental education and involvement will be critical to the success of such interventions.

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Risk perception, adaptation, and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Alaska Natives

Cited by 12 publications

References 53 publications

Incorporating resilience when assessing pandemic risk in the Arctic: a case study of Alaska

Incorporating resilience when assessing pandemic risk in the Arctic: a case study of Alaska

A qualitative exploration of the impacts of COVID-19 in two rural Southwestern Alaska communities

Enhancing sleep health in urban American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents: Implications for culturally tailored interventions

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