A new research effort is underway to better understand the lasting impact of COVID on the Blackfeet Reservation, led by an educator determined to turn community concern into meaningful data and awareness.
Dianna Arnoux-Whiteman, a science instructor and pre-nursing advisor at Blackfeet Community College, has been awarded a research grant through the Montana IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program at Montana State University.
Brianna Juneau reports - watch the video here:
The study, titled “The Residual Effects of Long-COVID on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation,” aims to measure how widespread lingering symptoms are and how severely they are affecting those who were previously infected. Long-COVID is considered a multi-system condition that can impact the brain, heart, nervous system, and other organs. Symptoms commonly reported include fatigue, brain fog, sleep disturbances, depression, and post-exertional symptom flare-ups.
National research estimates that about 5 to 10 percent of people who contract COVID experience ongoing health issues that can interfere with daily life, work, and overall well-being.
For Arnoux-Whiteman, the project is both professional and personal. She said national studies on long-COVID inspired her to take a closer look at how these long-term effects may be impacting her own community.
She has already heard from individuals across the reservation who report symptoms such as memory issues, heart complications, and digestive problems, experiences that motivated her to take action.
“I want people to be able to identify what they’re experiencing,” she explained, “so they can get treated properly and not feel like they’re dealing with it alone.”
With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare, including a 22-year career with the Indian Health Service as a laboratory supervisor before retiring in 2017, Arnoux-Whiteman brings extensive medical knowledge to the project. Today, she continues to support students pursuing healthcare careers while working to improve health awareness in her community.
The study will be conducted in collaboration with faculty and research leaders, including Betty Henderson-Matthews, chair of the Math and Science department; Natalie Malaterre, coordinator for the Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) grant; and the INBRE research team led by principal investigator Dr. Brian Bothner.
As part of the research, two surveys have been developed and are expected to launch this summer. According to Arnoux-Whiteman, there has already been strong interest from community members eager to participate.
Beyond the Blackfeet Reservation, she hopes the findings will serve as a resource for other tribal communities.
“My hope is that other tribes can look at this research and see how it applies to their own people,” she said.
The project has been approved by the Blackfeet Nation Institutional Review Board and is expected to begin collecting data later this year. Researchers say the ultimate goal is not only to raise awareness, but to help connect people with the care and support they need as the long-term effects of the pandemic continue to unfold.
