US official recordings considerably underestimate the mortality and disparities in life expectancy for Amerindians, according to a new revolutionary study Posted in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Research, led by the Boston University School of Public Health, provides convincing evidence of a deep gap between real statistics and officially reported on the results of the health of the populations of American America and Alaska (AI / YE) in the United States
The study, a novel in its approach, follows the results of mortality over time in IA / AI individuals identified in a representative cohort on a national level known as mortality disparities in American communities. Researchers have linked US Census Bureau data 2008 American community survey with official death certificates of centers for disease control and prevention National system of vital statistics From 2008 to 2019, and found that the life expectancy of the AI / A populations was 6.5 years younger than the national average. They then compared this to the data of CDC Wonder databaseAnd found that their number was almost three times higher than the gap reported by the CDC.
Indeed, the study revealed that the life expectancy of people AI / year was only 72.7 years, comparable to that of developing countries.
The researchers also discovered a bad racial classification. The study reports that around 41% of the deaths of the IA / year were poorly classified in the CDC Wonder database, mainly badly reacted as “white”. These systemic classifications have radically biased official statistics, with mortality rates in AI / A as only 5% higher than the national average. When they adjusted the data to take into account these classification errors, the researchers found that the actual rate was 42% higher than that initially reported.
The question of the racial erroneous classification “is not all the news for us,” said Nanette Star, director of policies and planning at California Consortium for Urban Indian Health. The recent trend for journalists and politicians to use umbrella terms as “natives” rather than the most precise “Aboriginal Indians in America and Alaska” can hide the unique needs, stories and political identities of the AI / AN communities, noted Star, and contribute to their erasure in data and public speeches. “This is the word we use – erasure – and it really leads to this invisibility in our health statistics,” she said.
The problems linked to the erroneous racial classification in public archives persist throughout life for individuals of AI / year, from birth to early childhood interventions to chronic and death diseases. Star noted that in California, in particular in urban regions like Los Angeles, Aboriginal people are often poorly identified as Latino or multiracial, which deeply deforms public health and masks of the extent of health disparities. “It really masks the real scale of premature mortality and health disparities among our communities,” said Star.
In addition, Star said, the lack of precise data exacerbates health disparities. “It’s really a public health and justice problem,” she said. “If you do not have these figures to support the targeted response, you do not get funding for these interventions or even preventive measures.”
According to American census data, California is home to the largest Population of AI / A in the United States. This means that it has a unique opportunity to lead the nation to solve these systemic problems. With numerous tribes recognized by the federal and state government, as well as substantial urban UA / year populations, California can prioritize collaborative and precise collection and public health data reports.
Star noted that current distortions are not always malicious but often result from a lack of training. She suggested that California implemented targeted training programs for people responsible for registering this data, including funeral directors, coroners, doctors and law enforcement agents; Allocate dedicated resources to improve the accuracy of the racial classification on vital files; And strengthen partnerships with tribal chiefs.
The authors of the study suggest similar approaches, and there are many examples of cases of success of Health partnerships led by natives seen through Canada And the United States that has helped reduce health disparities among AI / A communities that could be used as a model.
These efforts would not only help to progress towards the rectification of historical inaccuracies, but also guarantee that the AI / AN communities receive equitable health resources and the attention of policies.
“When AI / a people is poorly classified in life and death, it deforms public health data and makes inequalities even deeper,” said Star. “Precise data is not only figures – it is a question of honoring lives, holding responsible systems and ensuring that our communities are seen and served.”
