Shea Littlepage

Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) infections are a pressing health concern in the White Mountain Apache (WMA) Tribal community, where invasive Staph infection rates far exceed those in the general U.S. population. This study explored community perspectives to guide culturally tailored education and prevention strategies. We conducted 42 in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with healthcare providers, traditional practitioners, and community members. Thematic analysis showed that participants had familiarity with the term “MRSA” (methicillin-resistant Staph), although many did not recognize it as a form of Staph, per se. Barriers to timely care-seeking included lack of transportation, stigma, and misconceptions about infection causes. With regard to biomedical approaches to prevention, participants preferred products like antiseptic nasal sprays and antimicrobial skin cleansers due to ease of use. Community members emphasized the need for simple, bilingual educational materials grounded in Apache culture and delivered by trusted figures. The findings underscore the importance of culturally grounded education and prevention approaches. Implementation and scaling of these strategies may enhance health literacy, reduce infection rates, and promote holistic wellness in Indigenous communities.

American Indian (AI) communities in the Southwest have a high burden of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and COVID-19. Through laboratory-based surveillance, the impact of the pandemic on IPD incidence and serotype distribution was evaluated in two AI communities. IPD rates were lower during the pandemic (21.8 vs. 39.0/100 000 pre-pandemic). Rates increased in 2021 compared to 2020 but not to pre-pandemic levels. Cases with SARS-CoV-2 co-infection had a higher case fatality rate (45.2% vs. 17.6% without co-infection). No significant change in serotype distribution was observed. Continued surveillance in these communities is critical to understand the changing IPD burden as the pandemic evolves.

Background: In the United States, the invasive pneumococcal disease incidence in Indigenous populations is higher than in the general population. Molecular detection and/or specimen sampling from multiple body sites could enhance our understanding of pneumococcal carriage, a prerequisite for disease. Methods: Persons aged <5 and ≥18 years from the Navajo Nation and White Mountain Apache Tribal lands were enrolled in an observational carriage study from October 2015 through September 2017. Swabs from the nasopharynx (all participants) and oropharynx (adults only) were collected and tested by enriched culture or molecular methods (lytA and piaB polymerase chain reaction [PCR]). Cultured Streptococcus pneumoniae was serotyped by sequencing. PCR-positive samples were serotyped by 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13)–type PCR and TaqMan array card PCR. Results: An overall 1503 participants were enrolled (age <5 years, n = 600; ≥18 years, n = 903). Among children, pneumococcal positivity was similar by culture (49.5%) and PCR (50.8%); PCV13-type carriage was 8.0% by any method. Among adults, oropharyngeal swab positivity by PCR was 18.5%, an increase when compared with cultured oropharyngeal swabs (0.6%) and nasopharyngeal swabs by culture (7.9%) or PCR (5.3%); PCV13-type carriage by any sample or method was 8.0%. Conclusions: PCV13-type carriage persists in Indigenous populations. Use of molecular methods and oropharyngeal swabs for adults increased carriage prevalence estimates.

Background. Despite use of highly effective conjugate vaccines, invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and disproportionately affects Indigenous populations. Although included in the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), which was introduced in 2010, serotype 3 continues to cause disease among Indigenous communities in the Southwest USA. In the Navajo Nation, serotype 3 IPD incidence increased among adults (3.8/100 000 in 2001–2009 and 6.2/100 000 in 2011–2019); in children the disease persisted although the rates dropped from 5.8/100 000 to 2.3/100 000. Methods. We analysed the genomic epidemiology of serotype 3 isolates collected from 129 adults and 63 children with pneumococcal carriage (n=61) or IPD (n=131) from 2001 to 2018 of the Navajo Nation. Using whole-genome sequencing data, we determined clade membership and assessed changes in serotype 3 population structure over time. Results. The serotype 3 population structure was characterized by three dominant subpopulations: clade II (n=90, 46.9 %) and clade Iα (n=59, 30.7 %), which fall into Clonal Complex (CC) 180, and a non-CC180 clade (n=43, 22.4 %). The proportion of clade II-associated IPD cases increased significantly from 2001 to 2010 to 2011–2018 among adults (23.1–71.8 %; PP=0.84). Over the same period, the proportion of clade II-associated carriage increased; this was statistically significant among children (23.3–52.6 %; P=0.04) but not adults (0–50.0 %, P=0.08). Conclusions. In this setting with persistent serotype 3 IPD and carriage, clade II has increased since 2010. Genomic changes may be contributing to the observed trends in serotype 3 carriage and disease over time.

Head Start is a federally funded program for children (3–5 years) from low-income families. In the Fort Peck Native American Reservation, tribal Head Start teachers have reported high stress in supporting children experiencing adverse childhood experiences. Thus, we adapted the Little Holy One intervention (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04201184) for the teachers’ context and culture to enhance psychological health and well-being. Within a participatory framework, the eight-step ADAPT-ITT methodology was used to guide the adaptation process: assessment; decision; adaptation; production; topical experts; integration; training; and testing. For Step 1, we purposive sampled 27 teachers, ancillary staff, and parents to understand teachers’ stress, support mechanisms, and interest in an intervention via focus groups (n = 9) and individual interviews (n = 18). Qualitative data underscored teachers’ experiences of stress, depression, and need for support (Step 1). Iterative feedback from a tribal advisory board and Little Holy One designers rendered selection of five lessons (Step 2, 5), which were adapted for the teachers via theater testing (Step 3, 4). Community capacity assessment revealed their ability to implement the intervention (Step 6). Testing of this adapted intervention in a feasibility trial (steps 7, 8) will be reported in a future publication. A rigorous systematic process within a participatory framework allowed intervention adaption based on community input. Leveraging “culture as treatment” may be useful for enhancing psychological health outcomes for Native Americans who historically underutilize existing psychological services.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, tribal and health organizations used social media to rapidly disseminate public health guidance highlighting protective behaviors such as masking and vaccination to mitigate the pandemic’s disproportionate burden on American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Objective: Seeking to provide guidance for future communication campaigns prioritizing AI/AN audiences, this study aimed to identify Twitter post characteristics associated with higher performance, measured by audience reach (impressions) and web behavior (engagement rate). Methods: We analyzed Twitter posts published by a campaign by the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health from July 2020 to June 2021. Qualitative analysis was informed by in-depth interviews with members of a Tribal Advisory Board and thematically organized according to the Health Belief Model. A general linearized model was used to analyze associations between Twitter post themes, impressions, and engagement rates. Results: The campaign published 162 Twitter messages, which organically generated 425,834 impressions and 6016 engagements. Iterative analysis of these Twitter posts identified 10 unique themes under theory- and culture-related categories of framing knowledge, cultural messaging, normalizing mitigation strategies, and interactive opportunities, which were corroborated by interviews with Tribal Advisory Board members. Statistical analysis of Twitter impressions and engagement rate by theme demonstrated that posts featuring culturally resonant community role models (P=.02), promoting web-based events (P=.002), and with messaging as part of Twitter Chats (P<.001) were likely to generate higher impressions. In the adjusted analysis controlling for the date of posting, only the promotion of web-based events (P=.003) and Twitter Chat messaging (P=.01) remained significant. Visual, explanatory posts promoting self-efficacy (P=.01; P=.01) and humorous posts (P=.02; P=.01) were the most likely to generate high–engagement rates in both the adjusted and unadjusted analysis. Conclusions: Results from the 1-year Twitter campaign provide lessons to inform organizations designing social media messages to reach and engage AI/AN social media audiences. The use of interactive events, instructional graphics, and Indigenous humor are promising practices to engage community members, potentially opening audiences to receiving important and time-sensitive guidance.

BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 pandemic, tribal and public health organizations used social media to rapidly disseminate public health guidance highlighting protective behaviors such as masking and vaccination to mitigate the pandemic’s disproportionate burden on Native American communities. OBJECTIVE Seeking to provide guidance for future communication campaigns, this study aimed to identify Twitter post characteristics associated with higher performance, measured by audience reach (impressions) and online behavior (engagement rate). METHODS We analyzed Twitter posts sent in a campaign by the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health from July 2020 to June 2021. Qualitative analysis was informed by in-depth interviews with members of a Tribal Advisory Board and thematically organized according to the Health Belief Model. Logistic regression was used to analyze associations between Twitter post theme, impressions, and engagement rate. RESULTS The campaign published 162 Twitter messages which organically generated 427,888 impressions and 6,045 engagements. Iterative analysis of these Twitter posts identified 10 unique themes under theory- and culture-related categories of framing knowledge, cultural messaging, normalizing mitigation strategies, and interactive opportunities, corroborated by interviews with Tribal Advisory Board members. Statistical analysis of Twitter impressions and engagement rate by theme demonstrated that posts featuring culturally-resonate community role models (p=.02), promoting online events (p=.002), and messaging as part of Twitter Chats (p=<.001) were likely to generate higher impressions. In the adjusted analysis controlling for date of posting, only the promotion of online events (p=.003) and Twitter Chat messaging (p=.01) remained significant. In terms of engaging users, highly visual and explanatory posts promoting self-efficacy (p=.01; p=.01) and humorous posts (p=.02; p=.01) were most likely to generate high engagement rates in both the adjusted and unadjusted analysis. CONCLUSIONS Results from the one-year Twitter campaign provide lessons to inform organizations designing social media messages to reach and engage Native social media audiences. The use of interactive messaging, instructional graphics and Native humor are promising practices to engage community members, potentially opening audiences to receiving important and time-sensitive guidance, particularly during a pandemic.