Understanding how COVID-19 prevention efforts affected American Indian communities
Official title: The Impacts of Mitigation Strategies to Prevent COVID-19 Transmission in American Indian Communities
Funded at National Bureau of Economic Research · NIH-11159444 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at how different ways to prevent COVID-19 spread helped or changed life for American Indian communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Bureau of Economic Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | May 25, 2021 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $526,822 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MD016338-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11159444 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research focuses on data from American Indian communities and adjacent non-Native populations who experienced COVID-19 mitigation policies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not part of American Indian communities or those not affected by specific COVID-19 mitigation policies in these areas may not directly benefit from this particular research.
What this research studies
We want to learn more about how local policies, like closing reservations or casinos, affected the health and daily lives of American Indian people during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes looking at how these measures influenced the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, as well as how people's travel and movement patterns changed. We are also interested in any effects these policies had on nearby non-Native communities. By understanding these impacts, we hope to find better ways to protect vulnerable populations during future health crises.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help public health officials and tribal leaders create more effective and supportive policies for American Indian communities during future pandemics.
How similar studies have gone: While specific studies on the staggered implementation of NPIs in tribal lands are unique, broader research has shown varying success of mitigation strategies in different populations.
Where this research is happening
-
National Bureau of Economic Research
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Akee, Randall K. Q. — National Bureau of Economic Research
- Study coordinator: Akee, Randall K. Q.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.