Between Two Worlds: Impacts of COVID-19 on the AI/AN Health Research Workforce

The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating global and national impacts including major loss of life, economic downturns, and ongoing impairments to mental and physical health. Conducting health research has remained a priority and has helped mitigate some of the COVID-19 devastation; however, challenges to research have arisen due to COVID-19 prevention strategies and changing community priorities for research. The purpose of this article is to focus on a critical piece of the health research process with American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities and the AI/AN health research workforce. Throughout this editorial, we provide challenges faced while conducting research with AI/AN communities during the COVID-19 pandemic including changes to research processes and ongoing research studies, taking on multiple roles in academic spaces, and mourning for continuous community loss while continuing to conduct research that may benefit AI/AN communities. Using a strengths-based lens, we also provide examples of flexibility, adaptation, and resilience in the face of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.