Rural Tribal Health – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Tribal Health.
Indian Health Service's Controls Over Sanitation Facilities Construction Program Projects Funded Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Could Be Improved
Explores Indian Health Service (IHS) internal controls regarding identifying, recording, and tracking projects in the Sanitation Deficiency System (SDS) and ensuring that Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds are limited to eligible project costs. Offers recommendations to IHS to improve controls for identifying and recording Sanitation Facilities Construction (SFC) Program projects funded under IIJA and for ensuring IIJA funds are used only for eligible project costs.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Explores Indian Health Service (IHS) internal controls regarding identifying, recording, and tracking projects in the Sanitation Deficiency System (SDS) and ensuring that Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds are limited to eligible project costs. Offers recommendations to IHS to improve controls for identifying and recording Sanitation Facilities Construction (SFC) Program projects funded under IIJA and for ensuring IIJA funds are used only for eligible project costs.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Finding Hidden Insights in American Indian and Alaska Native Data on data.census.gov
Webinar recording discusses how to use data.census.gov to access American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) demographic data. Highlights strategies such as using specialized filter sections,overlooked data sources, and other techniques to reveal detailed data on AI/AN geographies and populations.
Additional links: Webinar Slides
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Webinar recording discusses how to use data.census.gov to access American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) demographic data. Highlights strategies such as using specialized filter sections,overlooked data sources, and other techniques to reveal detailed data on AI/AN geographies and populations.
Additional links: Webinar Slides
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Uranium Exposure, Hypertension, and Blood Pressure in the Strong Heart Family Study
Examines the correlation between uranium exposure and health conditions such as hypertension and blood pressure changes in rural, tribal communities. Analyzes health status and uranium levels of 1,453 participants in the Strong Heart Family Study. Discusses rock and soil health, groundwater, and surface water contamination as factors in uranium exposure.
Author(s): Kevin P. Patterson, Abigail Onderwyzer Gold, Miranda J. Spratlen, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 04/2025
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Examines the correlation between uranium exposure and health conditions such as hypertension and blood pressure changes in rural, tribal communities. Analyzes health status and uranium levels of 1,453 participants in the Strong Heart Family Study. Discusses rock and soil health, groundwater, and surface water contamination as factors in uranium exposure.
Author(s): Kevin P. Patterson, Abigail Onderwyzer Gold, Miranda J. Spratlen, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 04/2025
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Exercising Self-Governance Through an Indian Managed Care Entity: The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Option
Profiles the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA), a health system serving the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). Discusses the design and impact of their Medicaid managed care entity.
Author(s): Anne Smithey, Rob Houston
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Profiles the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA), a health system serving the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). Discusses the design and impact of their Medicaid managed care entity.
Author(s): Anne Smithey, Rob Houston
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Food Access Interventions in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities: A Scoping Review
Examines food access in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities and provides a scoping review that analyzes social ecological model (SEM) levels and their related food access interventions. Includes discussion on AI/AN food access issues in rural tribal locations.
Author(s): Danya Carroll, Lynn Mad Plume, Nicole Redvers
Citation: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 14(1), 11-28
Date: 01/2025
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Examines food access in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities and provides a scoping review that analyzes social ecological model (SEM) levels and their related food access interventions. Includes discussion on AI/AN food access issues in rural tribal locations.
Author(s): Danya Carroll, Lynn Mad Plume, Nicole Redvers
Citation: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 14(1), 11-28
Date: 01/2025
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Not Enough: Medicaid Expansion, Medical Debt, and Cost Avoidance in Rural American Indian and Alaska Native Households
Presents a study on the effect of Medicaid expansion on the medical debt and cost avoidance for rural American Indian and Alaska Native households. Compares rates of medical debt and cost avoidance from AI/AN communities in Medicaid expansion and nonexpansion states.
Author(s): Sean Hubbard
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12925
Date: 01/2025
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Presents a study on the effect of Medicaid expansion on the medical debt and cost avoidance for rural American Indian and Alaska Native households. Compares rates of medical debt and cost avoidance from AI/AN communities in Medicaid expansion and nonexpansion states.
Author(s): Sean Hubbard
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12925
Date: 01/2025
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Planning the Path Forward: An Actionable Guide to Tribal Community Health Improvement Planning
Toolkit providing guidance on creating Tribal community health improvement plans (CHIPs) by identifying health priorities and planning and implementing effective and culturally relevant solutions. Provides tools, templates, and other resources for each step of the CHIP process. Includes a case study focused on COVID-19 vaccine uptake.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organizations: Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., Tribal Epidemiology Centers
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Toolkit providing guidance on creating Tribal community health improvement plans (CHIPs) by identifying health priorities and planning and implementing effective and culturally relevant solutions. Provides tools, templates, and other resources for each step of the CHIP process. Includes a case study focused on COVID-19 vaccine uptake.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organizations: Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., Tribal Epidemiology Centers
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Summer EBT in Indian Country: A Report on Tribal Success, Barriers, and Best Practices
Examines the implementation of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) program in the Chickasaw and Cherokee Nations that are located in Oklahoma. Discusses the program's impact on food insecurity in Tribal communities and how to improve participation in the future.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organizations: Food Research & Action Center, Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative
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Examines the implementation of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) program in the Chickasaw and Cherokee Nations that are located in Oklahoma. Discusses the program's impact on food insecurity in Tribal communities and how to improve participation in the future.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organizations: Food Research & Action Center, Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative
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Indian Health Service Program Evaluation Services: Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Projects Aggregate Report 2021-2024
Report evaluates the Indian Health Service's Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project aimed at addressing opioid use disorder in tribal communities. Collects and evaluates data from grantees after the program's first 3 years, April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2024. Explores grantees' progress in building organizational capacity, community and educational events, and professional trainings, among other measures.
Additional links: Infographic
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Indian Health Service
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Report evaluates the Indian Health Service's Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project aimed at addressing opioid use disorder in tribal communities. Collects and evaluates data from grantees after the program's first 3 years, April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2024. Explores grantees' progress in building organizational capacity, community and educational events, and professional trainings, among other measures.
Additional links: Infographic
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Indian Health Service
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Electronic Case Reporting Roadmap - For Tribes and Tribal Epidemiology Centers
Report discusses the benefits of electronic case reporting (eCR) for tribal public health authorities and epidemiology centers (TECs). Highlights challenges in implementing eCR as well as the benefits of electronic disease surveillance conducted by Tribes and TECs. Presents guidance on the planning, implementation, and funding of tribal eCR.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Indian Health Board
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Report discusses the benefits of electronic case reporting (eCR) for tribal public health authorities and epidemiology centers (TECs). Highlights challenges in implementing eCR as well as the benefits of electronic disease surveillance conducted by Tribes and TECs. Presents guidance on the planning, implementation, and funding of tribal eCR.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Indian Health Board
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