Structural Inequalities Established the Architecture for COVID-19 Pandemic Among Native Americans in Arizona: a Geographically Weighted Regression Perspective

Aggie J. Yellow Horse, Tse Chuan Yang, Kimberly R. Huyser

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Native Americans are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The present study explores whether areas with high percentages of Native American residents are experiencing the equal risks of contracting COVID-19 by examining how the relationships between structural inequalities and confirmed COVID-19 cases spatially vary across Arizona using a geographically weighted regression (GWR). GWR helps with the identification of areas with high confirmed COVID-19 cases in Arizona and with understanding of which predictors of social inequalities are associated with confirmed COVID-19 cases at specific locations. We find that structural inequality indicators and presence of Native Americans are significantly associated with higher confirmed COVID-19 cases; and the relationships between structural inequalities and confirmed COVID-19 cases are significantly stronger in areas with high concentration of Native Americans, particular on Tribal lands. The findings highlight the negative effects that lack of infrastructure (i.e., housing with plumbing, transportation, and accessible health communication) may have on individual and population health, and, in this case, associated with the increase of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)165-175
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
Volume9
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2022
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • American Indian and Alaska Native Peoples
  • Arizona
  • COVID-19
  • Concentrated disadvantage
  • Indigenous data sovereignty
  • Native American
  • Structural inequality

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health(social science)
  • Anthropology
  • Sociology and Political Science
  • Health Policy
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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