Are cases of HIV/AIDS in Alaska Natives underreported in Alaska due to misidentification of race/ethnicity?
Studies reporting misidentification of AI/AN in disease surveillance databases and death certificates1-3 have been cited as evidence that misidentification of race/ethnicity is a source of underreporting of HIV/AIDS among AI/AN. Underreporting is of concern because funding allocations are influenced by disease prevalence, services are most effective if tailored to the specific populations in need, and community awareness of risk is influenced by the epidemiology of a disease. In Alaska, where Alaska Natives are the largest minority group and where there is an extensive health care system serving Alaska Natives almost exclusively, less misattribution of race/ethnicity occurs than in the contiguous U.S. In 2002, the Section of Epidemiology undertook an assessment of the accuracy of the race/ethnicity data recorded for Alaska HIV/AIDS cases. Methods State of Alaska birth and death records were examined for corroboration of race/ethnicity of reported HIV/AIDS cases. The Section of Epidemio
