Our Nations Our Journeys

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on American Indian and Alaska Native communities. In addition to experiencing higher rates of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths, AI/AN people may be experiencing higher rates of psychological distress and substance use disorders during the pandemic. This presentation will provide an overview of the Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center’s use of data to monitor COVID-19 and the behavioral health impacts of the pandemic for AI/AN communities in Oregon and Washington. We will provide an overview of the data sources and indicators being monitored, the development of data dashboards to communicate findings, and an overview of key findings to date. We will also discuss some of our challenges, lessons learned, and opportunities for improving tribal health surveillance systems during and after the pandemic.

To learn more about NWTEC's dashboard click here