American Indian Adolescent Perspectives on COVID-19 Impacts Within Great Plains Area Reservations.
Gina Johnson, Sara Purvis, Kelley Le Beaux and 2 others
PMID 39953668WHAT IT FOUND
American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents on Great Plains reservations described pandemic isolation, disrupted school and social ties, and mixed physical activity, but also used family connections and online gaming to cope.
These are self-reported experiences, not evidence of a treatment effect.
Key findings
01Adolescents reported mixed effects on friendships and social networks, with some growing apart and others saying nothing changed.
02Some participants reported isolation and anxiety, while those describing better emotional well-being often pointed to family support.
03Gaming became a primary way many participants stayed socially active and relieved boredom.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was 14 adolescents from three Great Plains reservations, so the themes may not apply to other communities or to adolescents with different access to schools and technology. Recruitment used Facebook, informal networks, and snowball sampling, and all participants reported laptop and internet access, which may have selected for better connected youth. Talking circles happened in August 2023, after restrictions had eased, so recollections of pandemic experiences may have been affected by memory or current circumstances. The study reports experiences and coping, not measured outcomes from an intervention, so it cannot show that any strategy improved health.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The article's publication types include NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that gaming, family walks, or school adaptations improve adolescent well-being. The study reports what adolescents said about their experiences, not the effect of a tested intervention.