Purposeful sampling was used because of the focus on community perspectives that were rich in depth and detail (Patton, 1999). The lack of demographic data collected from the participants also limited the generalizability of the current findings. The main aim of selection was to obtain a cross representation of participants with diverse interactions and experiences working with each tribe. A third limitation was that the data from five tribes from three different U.S. regions (Northern Plains, Northwest, and Southwest) were combined and analyzed together.
Addiction in Asian Americans
The final survey was approved by the CAB and the tribal Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to submission to the university’s IRB, which also approved the survey questions and methods. This cross-sectional survey aimed alcoholism statistics to examine hypothesized relationships between community-identified risk and protective factors and substance use among tribal members with a self-identified alcohol or drug use problem. Our partnership aimed to cast a wide net by recruiting participants who identified as having “a substance use problem,” as the community wished to be as inclusive as possible. Violent crimes, including homicide, assault, and domestic violence, are frequently higher on reservations. Given the relative lack of Indigenous perspectives in research on community alcohol systems, this qualitative study aimed to identify impacts of alcohol availability beyond those typically assessed in alcohol studies conducted with non-Indigenous communities. Our qualitative and community-engaged methods enabled us to develop a more nuanced understanding of these impacts, taking into account critical social contextual factors described by interview respondents.
Alcohol Use Treatment
- Another limitation was that the facilitators were American Indian, but not from the same tribes as those participating in the study.
- Specifically, in many Indian communities, drinking may involve consuming larger quantities (Beals et al., 2003; May & Moran, 1995), but with less frequency than U.S. samples (Beals et al., 2003).
- Our qualitative and community-engaged methods enabled us to develop a more nuanced understanding of these impacts, taking into account critical social contextual factors described by interview respondents.
- This paper provides an updated narrative review on the alcohol literature among Indigenous communities, highlighting recent studies published since 2017.
- Additionally, sensitivity to culture plays an important role in the decision to seek medical care.
They reported alcohol consumption at house parties, community events, national and what is alcoholism cultural holidays, and special occasions, including periods of crisis and mourning. A Northwest woman stated, “When people pass away, they get together and some people end up drinking.” Some believed that solitary drinking habits also existed in their communities. A Northern Plains woman felt that some members were “closet drinkers” who consumed alcohol alone and hid their drinking from others. The main purpose of the current study was to examine tribal members’ perspectives and experiences with alcohol, risk factors, consequences, and community responses.
5.2. Mental Health
Future studies will aim to explore Indians’ access to and interest in seeking alcohol treatment from non-justice system treatment settings, as well as the incidence of natural recovery. In addition, due to the findings that emerged from this study regarding American Indian/Alaska Natives’ interface with the justice system, future studies will aim to investigate the justice system’s effectiveness in providing alcohol treatment for American Indian/Alaska Natives. As might be expected, severity of alcohol dependence was significantly correlated with the number of alcohol-related incarcerations. Moreover, this sample experienced more alcohol-related incarcerations than alcohol treatment. In contrast with the findings of Herman-Stahl and Chong (2002), and with the exception of women reporting greater medical hospitalizations, gender was not significantly related to the receipt of treatment. Moreover, neither gender nor social drinking style was significantly correlated with number of alcohol-related incarcerations.
Impacts of Alcohol Use and Availability on Tribal Service Systems
In addition to the above themes, the literature has identified other variables within some communities as influential in substance abuse among Indian youth (Winfree and Griffiths, 1985). Of particular importance is the influence of norms in the home as a predisposing factor to association with abusing peer groups (see Oetting and Beauvais, 1989; Beauvais, 1992). Prevalence estimates according to the classification of FASD used in the CoFASP study are shown in Table 3. None of the parents or guardians of the 20 children identified were aware prior to the study that their child had an FASD.
- This multifaceted approach not only enhances program implementation but also maximizes the potential for achieving positive outcomes in addiction prevention and treatment.
- Plants such as datura, peyote, and tobacco were widely used in questing for visions and spiritual knowledge.
- Second, this value may be a vestige of women in this sample experiencing greater alcohol-related health complications (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2004).
- Previous studies have found varying patterns of drinking among AIAN populations, in general higher abstention rates than in the general population, and a higher likelihood of engaging in heavy episodic alcohol consumption when drinking 4,5,6,7,27.
Second, it is possible that participants’ made multiple attempts to seek treatment, depending upon their stage of change within the process of change continuum (Prochaska, DiClemente, & Norcross, 1992). Third, it is possible that these participants were bounced around the treatment system. Fourth, other studies with American Indians with substance-related problems have found varying rates regarding the seeking and receipt of treatment (Beals, Manson, et al., 2005; Beals et al., 2004; Herman-Stahl & Chong, 2002).