‘We Are Still Here, yet Invisible’: Study Finds that US Government Has Overestimated Native American Life Expectancy
- A recent investigation reported in a leading medical journal reveals that official U.S. data substantially underrepresents mortality disparities among Native Americans between 2008 and 2019.
- Researchers linked U.S. Census data with death certificates and adjusted for racial misclassification, which misidentifies 40% of Native American deaths as other races.
- The study found that American Indian and Alaska Native individuals have a life expectancy that is 6.5 years shorter than the overall U.S. average, a disparity nearly triple the difference reported by the CDC.
- Nanette Star emphasized that misclassification in data leads to underrecognized premature deaths and worsens health disparities in Native communities, making it a critical issue of both health equity and social justice.
- This research implies a need for improved data accuracy and Indigenous-led health initiatives to ensure Native communities receive equitable resources and policy attention.
23 Articles
23 Articles
‘We are still here_ yet invisible’: Study finds that US government has overestimated Native American ...
By Marcos Magaña, Los Angeles Times LOS ANGELES — Official U.S. records dramatically underestimate mortality and life expectancy disparities for Native Americans, according to a new, groundbreaking study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Related Articles States can cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, the Supreme Court rules Kennedy says US is pulling funding from global vaccine group Gavi FDA requires upda…

‘We are still here, yet invisible’: Study finds that US government has overestimated Native American life expectancy
LOS ANGELES — Official U.S. records dramatically underestimate mortality and life expectancy disparities for Native Americans, according to a new, groundbreaking study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
'We are still here, yet invisible.' Study finds that U.S. government has overestimated Native American life expectancy
A new study found that the gap in life expectancy between American Indians and Alaska Natives and the national average was 2.9 times greater than official U.S. statistics.
Friday, June 27, 2025 » National Native News
Photo: Alameda County Coroner’s sign. (I Love Old Signs! / Flickr) A group of researchers have found gaps in how death certificates are maintained with implications for Native Americans’ health. The Mountain West News Bureau’s Kaleb Roedel has more. Researchers from prestigious universities to Indigenous communities studied death certificates from 2008 to 2019. They found Native Americans have a life expectancy of roughly 72 years old. The nati…
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 – Disparity widens for Native American life expectancy » Native America Calling
A new study finds the death rate for Native Americans — which was already higher than other groups — is much higher than previously thought. The analysis just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) finds the gap in life expectancy between Native Americans and Alaska Natives and the national average is almost three times wider than what official statistics say it is. The researchers point to the fact that more than 40…
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