• Royce Fellowship
Summer Sky Brunoe
Summer Sky
Brunoe

Concentration 

Health and Human Biology

Award Year 

2019
Understanding barriers and facilitators to hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment among the Narragansett Native American community in Rhode Island

In 2016, Native Americans were 2.7 times more likely to die from hepatitis C than non-Hispanic whites. This project aims to identify barriers and facilitators to treatment and diagnosis of hepatitis C among the Native American population. I will complete a literature review of the burden of hepatitis C in Native American communities. I will interview key informants to understand the process of hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment among the Narragansett Indian Tribe. The long-term goal is to provide tailored interventions that address stigma, health literacy, healthcare access, and lead to advocacy to promote diagnosis, treatment, and eventual cure.