A new study by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, published in Healthexamined the extent to the extent the health system operated for pregnant and indigenous Native American women in Alaska.
Indigenous people experience significant financial, logistics and cultural obstacles to maternal health care and face the risk of illness and death compared to whites.
Many indigenous communities access health care via the Indian Health Service, a system of health establishments by the federal government who provide care for tribal citizens and other eligible persons to fulfill the government’s federal trust obligation. However, all natives are not eligible or can easily access Indian health care. Because the Indian health service is not an insurer, most indigenous pregnant women are covered by Medicaid, private or not insured insurance.
The researchers examined the relationship between access to Indian health care and health insurance coverage on medical services and the quality of care before, and after pregnancy. Analysis data From 12,920 Amerindian and Aboriginal women in Alaska who gave birth between 2016 and 2020, the researchers discovered:
- Aboriginal women with access to the Indian health service have declared a better quality of care compared to those without access. Among unused native women, access to Indian health care has been associated with an increase of 16 points in care before pregnancy and an increase in seven points of the use of prenatal care.
- More than half of those questioned did not receive care before high quality pregnancy. Less than one in five people received high quality care before pregnancy and less than half have received high quality post-partum care.
- While Medicaid was the most common form of insurance, it does not guarantee high quality care before, during and after pregnancy. Aboriginal women pregnant with Medicaid, but without access to Indian health care, have often received less quality care compared to people with Medicaid and access to the Indian health service.
“It was convincing to see the significant impact of the Indian health service and health insurance coverage to support high -quality care,” said Interior juliaResearcher at the Public Health School and Principal Author. “These results provide information that decision-makers could use to fill criticism of maternal health care and improve the health and well-being of indigenous women, their families and the wider community.”
This research was supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Policy Program.
About the Public Health School
The public health school of the University of Minnesota improves the health and well-being of populations and communities around the world by bringing research, learning and concrete actions to the greatest health challenges today. We prepare some of the most influential leaders in the field and we associate with health services, communities and decision -makers to advance equity for all. Learn more about SPH.umn.edu.