LAUSR

Key Points Question How did American Indian youth who live on or near reservations experience the COVID-19 pandemic? Findings This cross-sectional study among 2559 American Indian students in grades 6 through 12 found that approximately 14% of the sample reported having had a test result positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection, a higher rate than for all cases nationally and for children nationally, and three-quarters of the sample reported someone close contracting COVID-19, while more than one-quarter reported someone close dying from COVID-19. Regarding perceived psychosocial impacts, COVID-19 was associated with strained friend relationships, lower school engagement, and less social connectedness, although more than 60% of students reported feeling no change or a decrease in negative emotions, such as sadness and anxiety. Meaning These findings suggest that although COVID-19 mortality and morbidity rates were high on American Indian reservations, psychosocial impacts were complex and many students were resilient in the face of the pandemic.