Inequities exacerbate COVID-19 in Native communities
Poverty and inadequate health conditions have been ignored for too long
As New Mexico shifts to the new normal, it is clear our state’s tribes will continue to be battling the COVID-19 pandemic that has not yet peaked for most Native American communities. If we have learned anything from this health crisis, it is that we are more reliant on one other than ever before. We know how to come together for the greater good of our people and emerge resilient to not just survive but thrive.
Now more than ever, we must all work collaboratively and respectfully for our own health, the health of our neighbors, and the entire state of New Mexico.
Though Native communities have a rich and vibrant culture, inequities have been exacerbated during this challenging time. Even before the pandemic, it is not unheard of to have unemployment rates above 50%. The most basic amenities are often a luxury, including running water. Many of our tribal children remain at risk and are not receiving even minimal social and educational services due to the continuing digital divide.
This speaks to the poverty facing tribes across the nation that makes responding to a public health crisis even more difficult.
Native people in New Mexico account for over 50% of positive coronavirus cases despite being only 10 percent of the state’s population. Numbers from the Navajo Nation are even more sobering; with over 2,654 reported infections and 85 deaths across the reservation that spans New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. If it were a state, it would have the third highest infection rate after New York and New Jersey.
Indigenous scholars from the University of Arizona and UCLA have worked together on an analysis that shows by April 10, 2020, the rate of COVID-19 cases per 1,000 people was more than four times higher for populations residing on Native American reservations than for the United States as a whole.
Native Americans have changed their behavior to follow guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19. To suggest that Native Americans have not done their part to socially distance is not only empirically false but also ignores the real social inequalities and institutional racism that we have faced for generations that have helped fuel the spread of COVID-19 in Native communities.
Census data documents that Native Americans are more likely to live in multigenerational households; as a result, social distancing, much less quarantine, is extremely challenging.
Native Americans have one of the lowest life expectancies of all racial and ethnic populations due to a wide number of pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes that predispose us to higher COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality. These health inequalities are not new but all too often are ignored.
Native Americans, similar to others living in rural areas, are also more likely to be exposed to harmful environmental conditions, contributing to poorer overall health, respiratory conditions and a greater likelihood of having a more lethal outcome if infected with COVID-19. This environmental racism was not created by the coronavirus outbreak but has been part of the trauma that has historically plagued Native communities.
The Native American Budget and Policy Institute greatly appreciates the efforts and resources of the tribal, state and federal governments. Now we must renew our commitment to strengthening the government-to-government relationships that respect tribal sovereignty. This pandemic provides a unique opportunity to create innovative solutions for a healthier and more equitable New Mexico. The Native American Budget and Policy Institute empowers Native American communities to improve their health, education and economic well-being.