The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #51178

Joe Finkbonner, RPh, MHA¹, Jim Gaudino, MD, MS, MPH², Francine Romero, PhD, MPH³, Kelly Gonzales, MPH⁴, Tam Lutz, MPH, MHA⁵, Thomas M Becker, MD, PhD⁶, and Dee Robertson, MD, MPH⁵. (1) the EpiCenter, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, 300 SW Hall, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97201, (503) 228-4185, jfinkbonner@npaihb.org, (2) The Epidemiology Center, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, 527 SW Hall Street, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97201, (3) Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center, 527 SW Hall #300, Portland, OR 97201, (4) Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, 527 SW Hall, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97211, (5) Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, 527 SW Hall, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97201, (6) Department of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, CB669, Portland, OR 97201-3098

Epidemiologic responsibilities to assess and promote American Indian and Alaska Native, AI/AN, health are transitioning from the Indian Health Service, IHS, to tribally-run epidemiology centers under the '93-638' federal self-determination act. Since 1997, the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board's EpiCenter has developed epidemiologic and prevention capacity to support public health, PH, initiatives among 43 federally recognized Tribes in the 3-state Pacific Northwest. IHS provides seed funding and a doctorial-level staff equivalent. Additional funding depends on grants from public and private agencies. Projects and staffing have grown and changed, recently including the first doctorial-level CDC epidemiologist Tribal assignee. Collaborations with the Oregon Health Sciences University are critical for successful grants. The EpiCenter is engaged in eleven projects of various sizes and scope, staffed by permanent employees and part-time consultants and developed with funders' priorities and Tribal delegate approval. Projects directly work with or serve Tribal communities covering: 1) Surveillance and data capacity addressing diabetes, risk factors for chronic diseases, Chlamydia, racial misclassification in PH data, and infant morality. 2) Policy development and assurance with community health assessment tools; diabetes management and prevention support; dental service consultations; education and mobilization addressing prenatal alcohol-related diseases; training using the clinic-based RPMS system; and dissemination of evidenced-based medicine. 3) Research to test interventions for toddler obesity and dental caries. With their success, some projects are also funded to provide technical assistance as other areas develop them. Without ongoing funding; issues like sustainability, institutionalization, greater Tribal input, and adequate in-house capacity remain concerns.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe public health and epidemiologic issues impacting Native people in the Pacific Northwest and how the NPAIHB EpiCenter is able to address them.
• To identify common themes about how epidemiologic capacity can be built in Indian County in the US
• Describe relevant epidemiologic methods or important health and health risk findings from activities conducted by the "Epi Centers" that could be used to improve the health and well being of Native peoples in the US.

Keywords: American Indians, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.