Presenter(s): Julia Liu—Sociology
Faculty Mentor(s): Clare Evans
Session 1: Time for Your Check-Up—Decolonizing Global Health
American Indians and Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) have the highest rate of diabetes of any racial group in the United States . This disparity does not show up evenly amongst AI/AN, suggesting that environmental effects for various AI/AN can lead to health disparities . AI/AN have unique historical circumstances because many of them reside in reservations, which the government uses to segregate them from other racial groups . Due to the traumatic history of the reservation system, there are likely enduring conditions that exacerbate health disparities, including diabetes . This thesis looks at the correlation between living in a Census-designated American Indian Area (AIA) and having a diabetes diagnosis . It compares diabetes rates between American Indians and Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) living in AIAs and those living outside of these areas using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health . Logistic regression models determined if any subsets have a disproportionately higher rate of diabetes diagnosis . These models control for demographic factors such as age, income, gender, and education and show that AI/AN living in AIAs are anywhere between 1 .595—1 .764 times more likely to have diabetes than AI/AN outside of AIAs . This demonstrates that living in reservation- like areas is correlated with conditions that likely contribute to diabetes disparities . Potential explanations for inequalities include lack of nutritious food sources, environmental stress, and other conditions . This serves as a starting point for further qualitative research to explore social processes that create environmental inequalities and worsen health disparities .