Reports & Articles

The Alaska Native Epidemiology Center (EpiCenter) produces health reports that provide statewide and regional level data to Tribal Health Organizations and other entities working to improve the health of Alaska Native people.

Additionally, EpiCenter staff author manuscripts on public health topics which are published in peer-reviewed journals to inform others interested in improving Alaska Native health.

Cancer in Alaska Native People:
55-Year Report

This 55-year report presents detailed information on cancer incidence and mortality among Alaska Native people by cancer site, sex, age, stage at diagnosis, and trends over time, with comparisons to U.S. White people. Cancer incidence data are also presented by Tribal Health Region in Alaska for leading cancer sites and trends.

Full Report (PDF 25 MB)

Alaska Native Injury Atlas, 4th Edition

Part 2: Poisoning and Suicide Attempt Hospitalizations

Part 2 of the Alaska Native Injury Atlas provides an analysis of inpatient cases of unintentional/undetermined intent poisoning and suicide attempt among Alaska Native and American Indian people, as collected by the Alaska Health Facilities Data Reporting (HFDR) program.

Currently, the HFDR has the most comprehensive reporting for poisoning injuries (intentional and unintentional) in Alaska. As both unintentional/undetermined intent poisoning and suicide attempt/suicide are leading causes of injury hospitalization and death among Alaska Native and American Indian people in the State of Alaska, this supplement provides a deeper dive into the leading substances and mechanisms of unintentional/undetermined intent poisoning and suicide attempt hospitalizations necessary to inform prevention efforts.

Full Report (PDF 22 KB)

Alaska Native Injury Atlas, 4th Edition

Part 1: Injury Deaths

Unlike prior editions of the Atlas, the fourth edition comprises three independent parts: deaths, hospitalizations, and a poisoning and suicide attempt supplement using hospital discharge data.

Part 1 of this report provides an update of injury deaths among Alaska Native and American Indian people reported in the State of Alaska. It describes the leading causes of injury related death statewide and within each region. Monitoring injury deaths over time can help identify which injury prevention efforts have been effective and which may need to be increased or modified. In addition, this surveillance can identify disparities and trends to help prioritize the most vulnerable populations with injury prevention efforts. 66 pages.

Full Report (24.2 MB)

EpiCenter-authored Articles

2026

Redwood, D., Flanagan, C., Jeffries, L. Holck P, Finney Rutten L, Desnoyers C, Bailie D, Kisiel J. Increasing colorectal cancer screening among Alaska Native peoples living in remote areas of Alaska: a multitarget stool DNA cluster randomized controlled trial. BMC Prim. Care. 2026;27(1). Full Article.

Redwood D, Laktonen-Ward L, Roik E. Comment: Alaska Native peoples and colorectal cancer: Opportunities for research and prevention. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology 2026;11(7): p544-546. [Abstract]

Thomas CE. Lorona NC, LaBrie S, Curtis KR, Yin H, Ma N, Randolph T, Qu C, Huyghe J, Thomas S, Hsu L, Koehne A, Nayemi S, Ammar H, Kahsai O, Redwood D, Li CI, Li L, Peters U, Figueiredo JC, Thomas TK, Phipps A, Hullar M. The phylum Fusobacteriota is associated with CRC-specific mortality: Results from the Translational Research Program in Cancer Differences across Populations. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. 2026;35(6):962-972. [Abstract]

Lorona NC, LaBrie S, Thomas CE, Yin H, Huyghe J, Qu C, Thomas S, Nayemi S, Ammar H, Kahsai O, Hsu L, Curtis KR, Koehne A, Redwood D, Li L, Li CI, Peters U, Thomas TK, Phipps A, Figueiredo JC, Hullar M. Site-and age-dependent associations between Fusobacterium nucleatum and colorectal cancer mortality. Cancer 2026;132(12):e70484. [Abstract]

Melkonian SC, Jim MA, Haverkamp D, McCollum J, Apostolou A, Rodriguez JL, Warren-Mears V, Tolentino N, Morris J, Foley D, Balzer E, and Lenz K. Leading Causes of Death Among Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native People, by Indian Health Service Area, 2020. Public Health Reports. 2026. doi:10.1177/00333549261435518. Full Article.

2025

Collins, T, Isgro, M., Kolachala, M. (2025) Augmented Reality Technology Engages Opioid Use Disorder Patients in Their Treatment, 2025 ASAM Annual Conference Poster Abstracts. Journal of Addiction Medicine 19(5):p e1-e97, September/October 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000001572 [Abstract]

Redwood D, Toffolon M, Flanagan C, Jeffries L, Bailie D, Finney Rutten L, Kisiel J. Colorectal cancer screening barriers, facilitators, and promotion recommendations by Alaska Native people who are non‐adherent to colorectal cancer screening.The Journal of Rural Health 2025. [Abstract]

Tangka F, Hoover S, Krudy M. Brown C, Tessier S, Hodson W, Redwood D, Smayda L, Haverkamp D, Poole M, Subramanian S. Cost of colorectal cancer screening in two tribal health organizations in Alaska. Cancer Causes & Control. 2025. [Abstract]

Figueiredo J and Redwood D. et al. The Translational Research Program in Cancer Differences across Populations.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025 [Abstract]

Wang, C., Ward, L., & Smith, N. H. (2025). Syndromic Surveillance in Tribal Health: Perspectives from Three Tribal Epidemiology Centers on Access and Utilization. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(5), 664. [Abstract]

Jeffries L, Flanagan C, Finney Rutten L, Kisiel J, Redwood D. Factors Influencing the Choice Between Multi-Target Stool DNA and Colonoscopy for Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Alaska Native Peoples. Life 2025;15(1), 120. Full article.

Redwood D, McNelly S, Flynn K, Siekaniec C, Habeger C, Wark K, Takeno T, Thomas, T. Addressing colorectal cancer among Alaska Native peoples: A community and subject matter expert symposium. Gastro Hep Advances. 2025. Full article.

2024

Rice B, Britton C, Rasmus S, Hernandez-Boussard T. Where the road ends: emergency care sensitive conditions drive excess mortality in medevac-dependent rural Alaska. Emergency Medicine Journal. 2024. Full Article.

Subramanian S, Tangka F, Hoover S, Mathews A, Redwood D, Smayda L, Ruiz E, Silva R, Brenton V, McElroy J, Lusk B, Eason S. Optimizing tracking and completion of follow-up colonoscopy after abnormal stool tests at health systems participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Colorectal Cancer Control Program. Cancer Causes Control. 2024. [Abstract]

Fitting R, Morris J. October 14, 2024. State of Alaska EpiBulletin, No. 12: Cold Exposure Injuries among People without Housing – Alaska 2012-2021. [PDF 252 KB]

Nash S, Verhage E, Flanagan C, Haverkamp D, Roik E, Zimpelman G, Redwood D. Clinical Outcomes from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Colorectal Cancer Control Program: 2009–2015. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2024. Full article.

2023

Redwood D, Toffolon M, Flanagan C, Kisiel J, Kaur J, Jeffries L, Zenku M, Lent J, Bachtold J. Provider-and System-Level Barriers and Facilitators to Colonoscopy and Multi-Target Stool DNA for Colorectal Cancer Screening in Rural/Remote Alaska Native Communities. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2023. Full article.

Smayda LC, Day GM, Redwood DG, Beans JA, Hiratsuka VY, Nash SH, Koller KR. Cancer screening prevalence among participants in the southcentral Alaska Education and Research towards Health (EARTH) Study at baseline and follow-up. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2023. Full article.

Haverkamp D, Redwood D, Vindigni S, Thomas T. Elevated colorectal cancer incidence among American Indian/Alaska Native persons in Alaska compared to other populations worldwide. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 2023. Full article.

Redwood D, Prewitt J, Holt M, Gerrish S. Elevated adenomatous polyp detection rate Among Alaska Native and American Indian people in Interior Alaska, 2018-2022. Public Health Reports. 2023. [Abstract]

2022

Nash SH, Zimpelman GL , Miller KN, Clark, JH, Britton CL. The Alaska Native Tumour Registry: Fifty years of cancer surveillance data for Alaska Native people, International Journal of Circumpolar Health., 81:1. 2023. Full article.

Ward LA, Black KP, Britton CL, Tompkins ML, Provost EM. COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations, and Deaths Among American Indian or Alaska Native Persons — Alaska, 2020–2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022; 71:730–733. Full article.

O’Brien D, Quinn J, Avila R, Redwood D, Roik E, State of Alaska EpiBulletin 2022, No. 15: Early Onset Colorectal Cancer, by Sex and Race — Alaska, 1996–2019. [PDF 306 KB]

Kratzer T, Jemal A, Miller K, Nash S, Wiggins C, Redwood D, Smith R, Siegel R. Cancer statistics for American Indian and Alaska Native individuals, 2022: Including increasing disparities in early onset colorectal cancer. CA Cancer J Clin 2022;0:1–27. [Abstract]

Burhansstipanov L, Braun K, Harjo L, Cassel K, Ka‘opua L, Redwood D, Mitchell-Box K, Peterson E, Solomon T, Pingatore N. Building Infrastructure, Increasing Capacity, and Improving Quality in Indigenous Health Systems. In Burhansstipanov L & Braun K (Eds.), Indigenous Public Health: Improvement through Community-Engaged Interventions (Understanding and Improving Health for Minority and Disadvantaged Populations) (pp. 103-124). University of Kentucky Press. [Abstract]

Burhansstipanov L, Braun K, Blanchard J, Petereit D, Olson A, Sanderson P, Joshweseoma L, Hsu C-H, Batai K, Joshweseoma L, Russell D, Redwood D, Bauer M. Cancer and Survivorship in American Indians and Alaska Natives. In Burhansstipanov L & Braun K (Eds.), Indigenous Public Health: Improvement through Community-Engaged Interventions (Understanding and Improving Health for Minority and Disadvantaged Populations) (pp. 147-173). University of Kentucky Press. [Abstract]

Patten CA, Hiratsuka VY, Nash SH, Day G, Redwood DG, Beans JA, Howard BV, Umans JG, Koller KR, Smoking Patterns Among Urban Alaska Native and American Indian Adults: The Alaska EARTH 10-Year Follow-up Study. Nicotine Tob Res. 2022;24(6):840-846. [Abstract]

Flanagan CA, Finney Rutten LJ, Kisiel JB, Lent JK, Bachtold JF, Swartz AW, and Redwood DG. Development of a colorectal cancer screening intervention for Alaska Native people during a pandemic year. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications. 2022 Dec;30:101016. Epub 2022 Oct 10. [Abstract]

2021

Nash SH, Day G, Hiratsuka VY, Beans J, Redwood D, Holck P, Howard BV, Umans J, Koller KR. Ten-year weight gain is not associated with multiple cardiometabolic measures in Alaska EARTH study participants. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2021 Feb 8;31(2):403-410. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2020.09.022. Epub 2020 Sep 24.PMID: 33127251. Free PMC article.

Nash SH, Britton C, Redwood D. Characteristics of colorectal cancers among Alaska Native people before and after implementing programs to promote screening. J Cancer Policy. 2021 Sep;29:100293. doi: 10.1016/j.jcpo.2021.100293. Epub 2021 Jul 12.PMID: 34395191 [Abstract]

Patten CA, Hiratsuka VY, Nash SH, Day G, Redwood DG, Beans JA, Howard BV, Umans JG, Koller KR. Smoking patterns among urban Alaska Native and American Indian adults: The Alaska EARTH 10-year follow-up study. Nicotine Tob Res. 2021 Nov 25:ntab245. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntab245. Online ahead of print.PMID: 34850172 [Abstract]

Redwood DG, Dinh TA, Kisiel JB, Borah BJ, Moriarty JP, Provost EM, Sacco FD, Tiesinga JJ, Ahlquist DA. Cost-Effectiveness of Multitarget Stool DNA Testing vs Colonoscopy or Fecal Immunochemical Testing for Colorectal Cancer Screening in Alaska Native People. Mayo Clin Proc. 2021 May;96(5):1203-1217. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.07.035. Epub 2021 Apr 9.PMID: 33840520 Free article.

Nolen LD, Bressler S, Vindigni SM, Miller K, Nash S, Gastric Cancer in Alaska Native and American Indian People Living in Alaska, 1990-2017. Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2021 Jun 23;12(7):e00374. doi: 10.14309/ctg.0000000000000374.PMID: 34158461 Free PMC article.

Simkin J, Nash SH, Barchuk A, O’Brien DK, Erickson AC, Hanley B, Hannah H, Corriveau A, Larsen IK, Skovlund CW, Larønningen S, Dummer TJB, Bruce MG, Ogilvie G. Stomach Cancer Incidence and Mortality Trends among Circumpolar Nations. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2021 May;30(5):845-856. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-20-1618. Epub 2021 Feb 24.PMID: 33627381 [Abstract]

Townshend-Bulson L, Roik E, Barbour Y, Bruden DJT, Homan CE, Espera HGF, Stevenson TJ, Hewitt AM, Rhodes W, Gove JE, Plotnik JN, Snowball MM, McGilvray J, Simons BC, Johnston JM, McMahon BJ. The Alaska Native/American Indian experience of hepatitis C treatment with sofosbuvir-based direct-acting antivirals. PLoS One. 2021 Dec 2;16(12):e0260970. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260970. eCollection 2021.PMID: 34855920 Free PMC article.

McMahon BJ, Nolen LD, Snowball M, Homan C, Negus S, Roik E, Spradling PR, Bruden D. HBV Genotype: A Significant Risk Factor in Determining Which Patients With Chronic HBV Infection Should Undergo Surveillance for HCC: The Hepatitis B Alaska Study. Hepatology. 2021 Dec;74(6):2965-2973. doi: 10.1002/hep.32065. Epub 2021 Sep 20.PMID: 34292609 [Abstract]

Redwood DG, Dinh TA, Kisiel JB, Borah BJ, Moriarty JP, Provost EM, Sacco FD, Tiesinga JJ, Ahlquist DA. Cost-effectiveness of multi-target stool DNA testing vs colonoscopy or fecal immunochemical testing for colorectal cancer screening in Alaska Native people. Mayo Clin Proc. 2021;96(5):1203-1217. [Abstract]

2020

Nash S, Day G, Hiratsuka V, Beans J, Redwood D, Holck P, Howard B, Umans J, Koller K. Ten-year weight gain is not associated with multiple cardiometabolic measures in Alaska EARTH study participants. Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases 2020. [Abstract]

Koller K, Day G, Hiratsuka V, Beans J, Nash S, Redwood D, Zhud J, Howard B, Umans J. Increase in diabetes among urban Alaska Native people in the Alaska EARTH Follow-up Study: A call for prediabetes screening, diagnosis, and referral for intervention. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice 2020; doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2020.108357. [Abstract]

Nash SH, Greenley R, Dietz-Chavez D, Vindigni S, Harrison T, Peters U, Redwood D. Incorporating participant and clinical feedback into a community-based participatory research study of colorectal cancer among Alaska Native people. Journal of Community Health. 2020; doi: 10.1007/s10900-020-00796-x. [Abstract]