Native American public health officials are struggling to address health disparities due to limited access to crucial data from state and federal agencies. Despite legal requirements to share information, tribal epidemiology centers often face obstacles in obtaining timely and comprehensive health data, impeding their ability to respond effectively to public health emergencies.
The 2010 Indian Health Care Improvement Act mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services grant tribal epidemiology centers access to protected health information. However, a 2022 Government Accountability Office report revealed that federal agencies frequently fail to recognize these centers as public health authorities, leading to data request denials or delays.
This data blind spot has had severe consequences, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. By July 2020, American Indians and Alaskan Natives had a COVID-19 infection rate 3½ times higher than non-Hispanic whites. Meghan Curry O’Connell, chief public health officer for the Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board, stated, “We’re being blinded.”
The lack of data access has hindered contact tracing efforts and responses to other health crises, such as a syphilis outbreak in the Midwest and Southwest. Tribal health workers, who are often better equipped to reach their communities, have been forced to operate without real-time information.
While some progress has been made in data sharing, tribal health officials argue that more comprehensive policies are needed at both federal and state levels. Addressing these data access issues is crucial for tackling the persistent health disparities faced by Native American communities, where life expectancy is at least 5½ years shorter than the national average.
See “Native American Public Health Officials Are Stuck in Data Blind Spot” (July 30, 2024)
