Gastric cancer is a worldwide concern, particularly for Indigenous populations who face greater disparities in healthcare. With decreased access to screening and critical treatment delays, this group is experiencing adverse health effects. To determine what factors drive these disparities, a systematic review was performed in PubMed. This revealed a lack of research on gastric cancer specific to this population. The literature primarily focused on subset analyses and biological aspects with sparse focus on determinants of health. The results informed this presentation on factors related to Indigenous gastric cancer, which are influenced by colonialism. Indigenous populations encounter high rates of food shortage, exposure to harmful environmental agents, structural racism in the built environment, H. pylori, and compromised healthcare quality as an effect of colonialism, which all contribute to the gastric cancer burden. Putting gastric cancer into a cultural context is a potential means to respond to colonial perspectives and their negative impact on Indigenous patients. The objective of this manuscript is to examine the current state of gastric cancer literature from a global perspective, describe what is currently known based on this literature review, supplemented with additional resources due to lack of published works in PubMed, and to present a model of gastric cancer through the lens of a modified medicine wheel as a potential tool to counter colonial healthcare perspectives and to honor Indigenous culture.

Due to historical and ongoing structural racism and settler colonialism, Indigenous Peoples and communities in the United States are at a higher risk for a variety of diseases, elevated stress, and negative mental health outcomes. In addition, the United States federal government and the public encourage a view that Indigenous Peoples are primarily a racial group. Federally-, state-, and un-recognized Indigenous Peoples have a collective right to self-determination and sovereignty, and individuals of these Peoples understand this. The goals of this scoping review were to examine what research on identity and mental well-being is currently being conducted with Indigenous populations in the United States, synthesize the results, and determine if researchers are utilizing toolsets and theories that reinforce the sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples, communities, and the individual. The scoping review followed guidelines from the Joanna Briggs Institute guide for Scoping Reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Four databases and over six thousand articles were searched for this review, with twenty-four that had data extracted and analyzed. Current research on the relationship between Indigenous identity and mental well-being shows mixed results. The findings of this scoping review highlight a need for Indigenous-specific tools for measuring identity in place of tools used for other ethnic and racial groups. More research must be conducted to create tools that specifically examine the phenomena of United States-based Indigenous identity.

In the United States, blood quantum (BQ) based enrolment criteria find their roots in settler-colonial policies to erase, assimilate, and subjugate Indigenous Peoples and individuals. As a result, Native Nations throughout the United States continue to debate such practices. Current research on Native individuals’ identities does not fully account for the impact of BQ laws. Native people’s self-identity includes their identity as an enrolled or unenrolled member of their tribe. While research has examined the formation of Indigenous identity at the community and population level, current scales and tools do not properly examine the effects of BQ based enrolment on identity at the individual level. This commentary reveals how BQ based enrolment criteria negatively impact Native Nations which implement it and calls on Native Nations and Native researchers to explore the relationship between colonial enrolment policies and the impact on identity formation and lived experiences.

Introduction: This study examined the relationship between Indigenous identity, perceived stress, and healthcare utilization for Indigenous students on-campus. Methods: Potential participants included undergraduate and graduate Indigenous students from Tribal Nations within the United States. Participants were recruited through community partnerships and in person communication. This survey included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Multiethnic Identity Measure (MEIM), and university Campus Health Service Health and Wellness Survey. Results: 153 Indigenous students from United States-based Tribal Nations participated in this survey. While there appears to be a relationship between Indigenous identity, perceived stress, and Campus Health utilization, the results were not significant for the second tertile (OR: 1.1 (0.4, 2.7)) or third tertile (1.4 (0.5, 3.3)). Students who reported “Yes” or “Unsure” to questions on if their insurance needed them to go outside of the university were far less likely to use Campus Health (Yes OR: 0.2 (0.08–0.5)); (Unsure OR: 0.09 (0.03–0.3)) and CAPS (Yes OR: 0.2 (0.09–0.6)); (Unsure OR: 0.2 (0.04–0.4)). Discussion: This study saw a complex relationship between Indigenous identity, perceived stress, and campus health utilization; however, the findings are not statistically significant. There are distinctions in on campus health care usage when adjusting for undergraduate or graduate student status and health insurance literacy. Conclusion: The research findings offer many promising avenues for future work around Indigenous identity, affordability of healthcare, and importance of health literacy.

Despite New Mexico’s history of working with and enhancing collaboration with the 23 Tribes in the state, data sharing and collaboration with Tribes was poor during the COVID-19 pandemic. New Mexico’s policies of state collaboration with Tribes conflicts with the principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty and fails to recognize Tribal public health authorities. New Mexico state agencies limited what data Tribes and Tribal Organizations received, resulting in the suppression of Tribes’ inherent rights. This policy brief concludes with recommendations for the state of New Mexico to respect Tribal sovereignty, uphold the tenants of Indigenous Data Sovereignty, restore trust with Tribes, and support increased capacity and capability of Tribes.

The burden of cancer remains elevated for American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) in the United States, particularly in urban communities. Urban Indian Organizations (UIO) are a part of the Indian healthcare system for urban AI/AN populations to receive culturally competent care; therefore, it is important that UIOs convey the importance of cancer preventive and treatment options through their websites. The purpose of this study was to utilize the Indian Health Service (IHS) Office of Urban Indian Health Programs’ official website to identify, analyze, and describe the IHS-funded UIOs offering cancer-related services. We utilized qualitative content analysis on UIOs with primary care service capabilities. After determination of UIOs, each eligible website was reviewed to determine whether promotion of specific cancer-related services was being done based on the following categories: primary prevention, cancer screening, cancer support, and information/technology services that focus on the social determinants of health. There is limited, vague, or outdated information on UIO websites regarding the type of cancer-related services and programs provided. We found that whereas 21 of 34 UIOs list any mention of cancer screenings, few mentioned specific testing capabilities for various cancers. In addition, the listing of support and preventative services was also limited, with less than half of UIOs reporting on patient navigation services, among others. There is untapped potential in the utilization of websites for extending the impact of UIOs and their work with urban AI/AN populations in prevention, screening, and support of patients with cancer in a culturally appropriate manner that can improve outcomes. Significance: To the best of the knowledge of the authors, this is the first study to explore and measure cancer support services through public-facing channels. This study provides important data on how primary care facilities are engaging in public health promotion services in an online setting.