Evaluating COVID-19 impact, vaccination, birth registration, and underreporting in a predominantly indigenous population in Chiapas, Mexico.

Publication date: Dec 03, 2024

Indigenous populations globally face significant health disparities compared to non-Indigenous groups, primarily due to marginalization and limited access to healthcare. In Mexico, which is home to the largest Indigenous population in the Americas, these disparities were further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with impacts intensified by factors such as marginalization, discrimination, and inadequate access to essential services. This study aimed to investigate the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on mortality, vaccination access and uptake, and official birth registration among a predominantly Indigenous population in San Juan Chamula, Chiapas. We conducted an online survey among high school students at the Colegio de Bachilleres del Estado de Chiapas, supplemented with epidemiological and socio-demographic data (Nā€‰=ā€‰107). The survey revealed that 14% of respondents reported being infected with COVID-19, while national dashboard data indicated only 212 confirmed cases and one death in Chamula between April 2021 and June 2023. Additionally, 79. 4% of respondents were unvaccinated, with significant communication barriers and a lack of information in Indigenous languages contributing to low vaccination rates. Additionally, 5. 6% of surveyed family members and 4. 7% of community residents lacked official birth certificates, significantly impeding their ability to access essential services such as education, healthcare, and vaccinations. Our findings highlight significant underreporting of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Indigenous communities, likely due to inadequate diagnostic resources and medical evaluation. The study underscores the urgent need for tailored public health strategies that integrate local Indigenous languages, cultures, and knowledge systems supported by trusted Indigenous leaders. Investing in education in Indigenous languages is crucial for improving vaccination adherence and overall public health outcomes. These strategies can inform national preparedness and response plans to address the unique challenges faced by Indigenous populations during pandemics and other public health crises.

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Concepts Keywords
June Chiapas
Mexico COVID-19
Pandemic Health communication
Vaccinations Health disparities
Indigenous populations
Marginalization
Public health
Underreporting
Vaccination

Semantics

Type Source Name
disease MESH COVID-19
disease MESH health disparities
disease MESH death
disease MESH communication barriers
disease MESH Long Covid
disease MESH Infectious Diseases
pathway REACTOME Reproduction
drug DRUGBANK Aminosalicylic Acid
drug DRUGBANK Coenzyme M
drug DRUGBANK Water
drug DRUGBANK Nonoxynol-9
disease IDO country
disease MESH lifestyle
disease IDO quality
disease MESH infection
disease MESH weight gain
drug DRUGBANK Trestolone
disease MESH hypertension
disease MESH cardiovascular diseases
disease IDO process
disease MESH comorbidity
disease MESH chronic conditions
disease MESH obesity
drug DRUGBANK Dextrose unspecified form
disease MESH overweight
drug DRUGBANK Spinosad
disease MESH tuberculosis
pathway KEGG Tuberculosis
drug DRUGBANK Hydroxyethyl Starch
drug DRUGBANK Indoleacetic acid
drug DRUGBANK Azelaic acid
disease MESH educational attainment
drug DRUGBANK Pinaverium

Original Article

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