skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Explore Research Products in the PAR
It may take a few hours for recently added research products to appear in PAR search results.


Title: The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Access for Alaska Natives in 2020
This essay discusses impacts of COVID-19 on food access for Indigenous individuals in Alaska, drawing on a collaborative study initiated by the Indigenous Foods Knowledges Network. Key lessons include: • The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing challenges for Alaska Natives in accessing traditional and store-bought foods. • The strength of Indigenous cultural and economic practices such as food sharing networks helped mitigate these challenges. • Policies and programs that support access to traditional foods and Indigenous sovereignty strengthen the ability of individuals and communities to respond to significant events that break down supply chains and restrict mobility.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2035233
PAR ID:
10334264
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Editor(s):
Moon, T.A.; Druckenmiller, M.S.; Thoman, R.L.
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Arctic report card
Volume:
2021
ISSN:
2153-5272
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. ; ; ; ; ; ; (, Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development)
    null (Ed.)
    Food desert communities face persistent barriers in accessing affordable fresh and healthy foods, particularly for the underserved and limited-resourced minority population. This research brief proposes an integrated design concept examining human-environment dynamics of food deserts to identify strategies that would provide effective planning to prevent, prepare for, or respond to disruptive events such as natural disasters or pandemics in the future. The North Carolina example we describe identifies the potential overlapping areas between food deserts and number of COVID-19 cases to demonstrate how an unpredictable event could exacerbate public health in food desert communities to a greater extent than in communities with better food access, availability, and accessibility. The improved understanding of food systems could help in addressing unprecedented challenges such as those due to the COVID-19 crisis. 
    more » « less
  2. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; et al (, Human Ecology)
    Abstract The well-being of Indigenous communities in Alaska is inextricably linked to traditional harvest practices (THPs) such as hunting, fishing, and gathering local wild foods. Regional trends in the health of THPs have not been quantitatively evaluated in Alaska. Therefore, we surveyed Indigenous residents in the Western Coastal (n = 623) and Interior (n = 437) Regions of Alaska to estimate perceptions of the extent and cause of change in the health of THPs over the last ten years. We found that THPs improved in Western Coastal and declined in Interior Alaska. The best predictors of improvement or decline in the health of THPs were 1) change in the ability to share the harvest, 2) change in participation in hunting and fishing activities, and 3) extent of challenges caused by climate change. The odds of a decline in the health of THPs were 8 to 13 times higher for households that reported a decrease in sharing of traditional foods. 
    more » « less
  3. ; ; ; (, Arctic Data Center)
    Inuit communities have sustained themselves in the Arctic for millennia through systematic knowledges about and relationships with the ecosystem of which they are a part. Because of increasing reliance on global industrial food systems there is a growing lack of access to sufficient quantities of affordable, culturally significant, and nutritious food. Arctic food insecurity stems from multiple factors, including the loss of Inuit knowledges regarding traditional food production due to negative, deficit-based stereotypes that label those foods as unsafe or disgusting. Fermented foods are among those traditional foods that have been the most criticized, even though they provide a valuable source of nutrition and health benefits. The overarching long-term goal of the planning grant project is to support the resurgence of Inuit fermented foods by generating positive, desire-based messages that recognize and value the knowledge of Indigenous fermenters, thereby improving food security in Inuit communities. The planning grant performed activities to build foundations for an Inuit-led, self-sustaining, and collaborative network in Greenland to promote Inuit fermented foods and food safety. These efforts were also intended to lead to improved scientific questions that address the future and present needs of people in the Arctic from an Indigenous perspective. Data collected for this planning grant include images, interviews, audio recordings, video recordings, and transcripts from 17 individual interviews and group discussions. These data were collected during three trips to Greenland, including two trips to South Greenland (Nanortalik, Narsarmijit, and Nunarsuaq) and one to Nuuk, spanning May 2022 to August 2024. Stakeholders included community members (elders, children, tourists, chefs, fishers, and other community members), a director of a cultural center, and a food authority supervisor. The interviews and recordings were conducted to identify key themes and to assess the desire and need for additional research and resources. The summary enclosed explains the trips, meetings and interactions, and major project findings. Key findings include how Greenlanders connect foods and land (place) together. Another finding is the expressed need for more resources and support for Greenlandic food researchers who are rooted in their communities and recognize the value of local knowledge. 
    more » « less
  4. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; et al (, Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education)
    Goller, Carlos C. (Ed.)
    ABSTRACT The global spread of the novel coronavirus first reported in December 2019 led to drastic changes in the social and economic dynamics of everyday life. Nationwide, racial, gender, and geographic disparities in symptom severity, mortality, and access to health care evolved, which impacted stress and anxiety surrounding COVID-19. On university campuses, drastic shifts in learning environments occurred as universities shifted to remote instruction, which further impacted student mental health and anxiety. Our study aimed to understand how students from diverse backgrounds differ in their worry and stress surrounding COVID-19 upon return to hybrid or in-person classes during the Fall of 2020. Specifically, we addressed the differences in COVID-19 worry, stress response, and COVID-19-related food insecurity related to race/ethnicity (Indigenous American, Asian/Asian American, black/African American, Latinx/Hispanic, white, or multiple races), gender (male, female, and gender expressive), and geographic origin (ranging from rural to large metropolitan areas) of undergraduate students attending a regional-serving R2 university, in the southeastern U.S. Overall, we found significance in worry, food insecurity, and stress responses with females and gender expressive individuals, along with Hispanic/Latinx, Asian/Asian American, and black/African American students. Additionally, students from large urban areas were more worried about contracting the virus compared to students from rural locations. However, we found fewer differences in self-reported COVID-related stress responses within these students. Our findings can highlight the disparities among students’ worry based on gender, racial differences, and geographic origins, with potential implications for mental health of university students from diverse backgrounds. Our results support the inclusion of diverse voices in university decisioning making around the transition through the COVID-19 pandemic. 
    more » « less
  5. (, Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation)
    Program work with American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities necessitates Indigenous approaches and methods for evaluation. AI/AN researchers are working to reclaim evaluation as a traditional value and identify methods that fit into existing Indigenous evaluation frameworks. However, an increased understanding of how to utilize data collection tools appropriately and how they fit within these Indigenous frameworks is still needed. In this article, the author describes the process, rationale, and reflections on using a social network analysis tool while grounded in Indigenous evaluation principles. We discuss how displaying the results using a GIS story map can tell the story of a community of practice of Indigenous plants and foods educators. This article addresses the Southern Door—Be of Good Mind—as it describes a method that centres on community, honors relationships, and focuses on resiliency. By presenting the results through a GIS story map, the data can be gifted back to the communities and connect the relationships on a spatial scale to honour the inseparable connections between Indigenous plants and foods work and the land on which it takes place. 
    more » « less
  • Citation Formats
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
  • BibTeX
  • Save / Share this Record
  • Send to Email