Background: The Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS) is a school-based health surveillance survey conducted in middle and high schools across the state. The oversample project partnership began in 2013 to increase representation of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Youth. Focused on schools within the Southwest Region 9 service area of the Albuquerque Area Southwest Tribal Epidemiology Center (AASTEC) within the Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board (AAIHB), the project’s priority is to develop representative youth data reports for partner Tribal Nations.
Methods: The HKCS is facilitated through a partnership between the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Colorado School of Public Health, and community networks. After survey completion, AAIHB/AASTEC staff travel to their service area to deliver gift bags to survey coordinators and teachers. Through a data agreement, AAIHB/AASTEC receives and cleans the dataset, creates reports, and responds to data inquiries for the Southwest Colorado Tribal area.
Results: HKCS and oversample participation metrics as well as statewide results of the 2025 data will be presented. Since 2013, AAIHB/AASTEC has been able to provide Southwest Colorado Tribal area reports and has the capacity to share yearly trend data and analysis of associated risk and protective factors among AI/AN youth.
Implications: The HKCS oversample project is a tool to leverage the experiences of AI/AN youth and promote resources for continued wellbeing. When there are lower numbers of survey responses and data are not representative of the population, small numbers can be easily skewed and misleading. With appropriate, well-intentioned, and protected dissemination of data, organizations have the capacity to better understand youths’ wellbeing and enact policy, programming, or apply for grants accordingly. It is important to build partnerships and awareness across schools so that we can work together to support the health of all youth.
