Young American Indian Children Research Articles

Pre-Pandemic and Recent Oral and Medical Health Care Utilization among Young American Indian Children and Their Caregivers.

Children from diverse ethnic groups are at significantly increased risk for dental caries. In particular, American Indian (AI) children have the highest incidence of detal caries of any ethnic group. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically restricted health care access, including preventive oral health care. Given this context, it is unclear whether or not preventive oral health care for AI children has resumed since lockdown. To address this question, we surveyed adult AI caregivers (N = 152) of children aged 0-5 years, assessing recent (12-month) and pre-COVID (for caregivers of children aged 3-5 years) preventive oral and medical health services. We also examined medical health care access and utilization among caregivers. Among children aged 3-5 years old, both pre-pandemic and past year medical care utilization were generally high (80 and 90%, respectively) as was any oral health care utilization (64 & 78%, respectively). Oral health check-ups were more common over the last year (62%) compared to pre-COVID (44%). Recent health care utilization among children 1-5 years old in this sample were generally comparable to national estimates, except for higher reported preventive medical care (99% vs. 87.6%, respectively) and higher preventive oral care (96% vs. 59.6%, respectively). More caregivers reported delaying or foregoing needed health care due to COVID (28-38%) versus due to cost (8-17%). In this survey of AI caregivers, recent child preventive health care utilization was high, and changes in utilization following the lockdown phases of the pandemic were comparable for oral and medical health care.

Health Care Provider's Role in Obesity Prevention and Healthy Development of Young American Indian Children.

Health care providers (HCPs) serving American Indian (AI) populations are critical stakeholders in promoting healthy weight-related behaviors of young AI children. The purpose of this study is to develop an understanding of how HCP perceive their role in the healthy development of young AI children, and how they envision working with early care and education teachers and parents to enhance children's health. Twenty HCP that serve young AI children in Oklahoma participated in individual interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted on coded transcripts and three main themes, each with two to four subthemes were identified. HCP had limited contact with teachers, felt family health was equal or more important than child health, and parental empowerment and gradual change was essential for success. Creating ways to involve HCP, early care and education teachers, and parents together in multilevel and multisector interventions has the potential to improve the health of young AI children.

Early Care and Education Teacher's Role in Obesity Prevention and Healthy Development of Young American Indian Children.

The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of how stakeholders, specifically early care and education (ECE) teachers, perceive their role in the development of young American Indian children, and envision working with health care providers and parents in order to enhance children's health. Twenty tribally affiliated ECE teachers from Oklahoma participated in interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted, and three main themes, each with two to three subthemes, emerged. Teachers felt that nutrition and physical activity were important to children's health. Teachers had little professional interaction with health care providers but desired more. Parental empowerment was conveyed as essential to actualize positive changes in their child's behavior. Teachers of tribally affiliated ECE centers are important stakeholders in promoting the health and well-being of young American Indian children. Additional efforts are needed to more effectively integrate teachers and nurses in order to create effective interventions. We propose a stakeholder partnership to guide the development of future interventions.

Oral Health-related Quality of Life and Urgent Dental Services

Research Article| December 01 2013 Oral Health-related Quality of Life and Urgent Dental Services AAP Grand Rounds (2013) 30 (6): 69. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.30-6-69 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Oral Health-related Quality of Life and Urgent Dental Services. AAP Grand Rounds December 2013; 30 (6): 69. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.30-6-69 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All AAP SitesAll PublicationsAll JournalsAAP Grand RoundsPediatricsHospital PediatricsPediatrics In ReviewNeoReviewsAAP News Search Advanced Search Topics: dental procedures, health-related quality of life Source: Braun PA, Lind KE, Batliner T, et al. Caregiver reported oral health-related quality of life in young American Indian children [published online ahead of print July 16, 2013]. J Immigr Minor Health; doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-013-9870-0 Investigators from the University of Colorado conducted a cross-sectional cohort study of American Indian (AI) children to examine the relationship between caregiver-reported pediatric oral health-related quality of life (POQL), a child’s oral health status (OHS), and utilization of dental services. The study was conducted on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, the second largest reservation in the United States. Caregivers of children <7 years old who agreed to participate answered sociodemographic questions and completed a preschool variation of the POQL survey, a tool designed to measure the oral health quality of life for low-income minority children. The POQL is scored on a 0 to 100 scale,... 2013 You do not currently have access to this content.

A Prospective Study of Agents Associated With Acute Respiratory Infection Among Young American Indian Children

Native American children have higher rates of morbidity associated with acute respiratory infection than children in the general US population, yet detailed information is lacking regarding their principal clinical presentations and infectious etiologies. We pursued a comprehensive molecular survey of bacteria and viruses in nasal wash specimens from children with acute respiratory disease collected prospectively over 1 year (January 1 through December 31, 2009) from 915 Navajo and White Mountain Apache children in their second or third year of life who had been enrolled in an efficacy study of a respiratory syncytial virus monoclonal antibody in the first year of life. During the surveillance period, 1476 episodes of disease were detected in 669 children. Rates of outpatient and inpatient lower respiratory tract illness were 391 and 79 per 1000 child-years, respectively, and were most commonly diagnosed as pneumonia. Potential pathogens were detected in 88% of specimens. Viruses most commonly detected were respiratory syncytial virus and human rhinovirus; the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) illnesses primarily occurred in the fall. Streptococcus pneumoniae was detected in 60% of subjects; only human rhinovirus was significantly associated with S. pneumoniae carriage. The presence of influenza virus, human rhinovirus or S. pneumoniae was not associated with increased risk for lower respiratory tract involvement or hospitalization. Acute lower respiratory illnesses occur at disproportionately high rates among young American Indian children and are associated with a range of common pathogens. This study provides critical evidence to support reducing the disproportionate burden of acute respiratory disease among young Native Americans.

Caregiver Reported Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Young American Indian Children

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children experience high rates of dental decay, yet their pediatric oral health-related quality of life (POQL) has not been described. We measured POQL in AI children and compared it in children with reported excellent/very good/good versus fair/poor oral health status (OHS) and assessed association of OHS, child's age, dental service utilization, and dental insurance on POQL scores. Caregivers of 143 AI (100 %), young (mean age 25.1 months) children reported their POQL score as 4.2 (scale 0-100, lower score indicates better POQL); OHS as excellent (35 %), very good (27 %), good (21 %), fair (14 %), and poor (3 %); and utilization of urgent dental services (12 %). Worse POQL was associated with worse OHS (p = 0.01). After adjustment, worse POQL was associated with increased reported use of urgent dental services (p = 0.004). POQL of young AI children was generally favorable but worsened with increased utilization of urgent dental services.

Dental caries in a cohort of very young American Indian children.

This paper reports the prevalence and severity of caries in a group of 16-month-old American Indian children. The study is an ongoing longitudinal study of risk factors for caries in children from a Northern Plains Tribal community. Children were examined for caries and risk factor data collected at approximately 1, 4, 8, 12, and 16 months of age. Surface-specific caries data were collected and the presence of precavitated "white spot" lesions was recorded at the subject level. The mean age was 15.4 months for the sample of 232 children. Caries prevalence was 31.9 percent, while an additional 29.3 percent had white spot lesions only. Mean dmfs was 1.57, and ranged from 0 to 44 surfaces. Nearly 3 percent of all erupted tooth surfaces were affected and maxillary central incisors had the highest prevalence of caries (22 percent). Among the very youngest children, dental caries prevalence was very high among these American Indian children.

Associations of home food availability, dietary intake, screen time and physical activity with BMI in young American-Indian children

To evaluate associations between home environmental factors and BMI of young American-Indian children. Cross-sectional and prospective study. School-based obesity prevention trial (Bright Start) on a Northern Plains Indian reservation in South Dakota. Mixed model multivariable analysis was used to examine associations between child BMI categories (normal, overweight and obese) and home food availability, children's dietary intake and physical activity. Analyses were adjusted for age, gender, socio-economic status, parent BMI and school; prospective analyses also adjusted for study condition and baseline predictor and outcome variables. Kindergarten children (n = 424, 51 % male; mean age = 5.8 years, 30 % overweight/obese) and parents/caregivers (89 % female; 86 % overweight/obese) had their height and weight measured and parents/caregivers completed surveys on home environmental factors (baseline and 2 years later). Higher fast-food intake and parent-perceived barriers to physical activity were marginally associated with higher probabilities of a child being overweight and obese. Vegetable availability was marginally associated with lower probabilities of being overweight and obese. The associations between home environmental factors and child weight status at follow-up were not significant. Findings indicate that selected aspects of the home environment are associated with weight status of American-Indian children. Obesity interventions with this population should consider helping parents to engage and model healthful behaviours and to increase availability of healthful foods at home.

Correlates of physical activity in young American Indian children: lessons learned from the Wisconsin Nutrition and Growth Study.

Obesity is a serious and growing health problem in American Indian (AI) children. Our study, the Wisconsin Nutrition and Growth Study, aimed to understand the prevalence and contributing factors to pediatric obesity in Wisconsin tribes and provide the foundation for intervention design. This article focuses on associations among age, gender, and 3 measures of weight status with proxy-reported physical activity and TV/screen time in 3 to 8 year-old AI children. In a cross-sectional design, 581 AI children (49.1% female, aged 3-8 years) participated in health screenings that included height, weight, waist circumference, percent body fat, and a caregiver survey on demographics and health, with questions on physical activity and TV/screen time. Forty-five percent of children were overweight or obese. Boys were significantly more obese and had higher levels of body fat than girls. There were no differences in weight category across age groups. Boys participated in significantly more weekly sports than girls and sports participation was somewhat higher in younger children. Body mass index and waist circumference were not significantly correlated with TV/screen time or with the 3 activity measures (sports participation, outdoor play time, or physical education classes). Hours of outdoor play significantly predicted child body fat percentage controlling for maternal body mass index and child age and gender. Young AI children in Wisconsin have high rates of overweight/obesity starting at a very early age, and outdoor play may play a significant role in mediating body fat. There is a need to develop obesity-prevention interventions at early ages.

Negotiating Boundaries and Bonds: Frequency of Young Children’s Socialization to Their Ethnic/Racial Heritage

This study addressed intergroup differences in how often U.S. families socialized young children to their ethnic/racial heritage using nationally representative survey data gathered as part of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K).The sample ( N = 18,827) included young White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, American Indian, and multiracial children. Among other things, the authors found that families raising young American Indian children were likely to socialize them frequently to their ethnic/racial heritage. Also, most intergroup differences in frequency of ethnic/racial socialization were robust across child gender and parental education.

Maternal correlates of 2-year-old American Indian children's social-emotional development in a Northern Plains tribe.

The developmental experiences of very young American Indian children today are not well documented in the current literature. The present study sought to explore the social-emotional development of American Indian toddlers living on a Northern Plains reservation, as a function of maternal variables. Mothers completed self-report questionnaires about their experiences and their children's development. Observer ratings of children's development also were conducted. Maternal stress, substance use/abuse, perceptions of stress in the mother-child relationship, social support, and American Indian cultural identity were significantly related to children's social-emotional development. This study is the first to explore these relationships in a Northern Plains American Indian sample of young children and their mothers. Results suggest possible points of intervention for improving the developmental outcomes of very young American Indian children.

Elementary-Age Tasks, Cultural Identity, and the Academic Performance of Young American Indian Children

Elementary-Age Tasks, Cultural Identity, and the Academic Performance of Young American Indian Children

Young American Indian Children

Young American Indian Children

Self-Concept Formation in Indian Children

Professionals and educators have raised serious questions regarding very young American Indian children's perceptions of their “Indianness.” Using the children's reactions to two dolls, four aspects of self-concept formation were examined: visual preference, interaction preference, objective accuracy, and subjective accuracy.