Indigenous Groups and Influenza: Protocol For A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract Background: Several studies have documented that indigenous groups have been disproportionally hit by previous pandemics, with some exceptions. The objective of this review and meta-analysis is to provide a comprehensive historical overview of pre-COVID impact of influenza on indigenous groups by combining data from the last five influenza pandemics and seasonal influenza up to date. Methods/Principle Findings: The review will include peer-reviewed original studies published in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian. Records will be identified through systematic literature search in eight databases: Embase, Medline, Cinahl, Web of Science, Academic Search Ultimate, SocIndex, ASSIA and Google Scholar. Results will be summarized narratively and using meta-analytic strategies. Discussion: To our knowledge, there is no systematic review combining historical data on the impact of both seasonal and pandemic influenza on indigenous populations. By summarizing results across indigenous groups in different countries and historical periods, we aim to provide information on how strong the risk for influenza is among indigenous people, and how consistent this risk is across groups, areas and time. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021246391