Risk Factors for Substance Use in the American Indian/Alaska Native Community

<p>Research has indicated that substance use is a significant problem in the American Indian/Alaska Native adolescent community. What is less understood are the risk and protective factors specific to this community. Using data available from the Communities That Care Youth Survey, we analyzed risk and protective factors for current (30-day) and lifetime use of smokeless tobacco, cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and alcohol in a sample of 5,912 AI/AN adolescents. Logistic regression analyses were used and our findings indicated that peer and family influences, as well as ease of access to alcohol and other drugs had the greatest overall impact on AI/AN substance use. We also found that religious service attendance was a risk factor for inhalant use, but a protective factor against marijuana use. Overall, our findings highlighted several gaps in the current literature regarding AI/AN cultural attitudes towards substance use and how that might affect teen substance use. It also became clear that the AI/AN community is unique in many ways and would likely benefit from interventions implemented by culturally competent clinicians with the skillset to effectively work with and for the AI/AN community.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral Project

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year

2014

Author dc:creator

• Rugless, Kelli Lewis

Contributors dc:contributor

• Morrell, Holly E. R.
• Hopkins, Gary L.
• Jenkins, Louis E.

• Psychology
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Substance-Related Disorders - Epidemiology - United States; Substance-related Disorders - Ethnology - United States; Social Problems - Ethnology; Indians - North American; Inuits; Mental Health; Alaska Natives - Substance Use; Alaska Natives - Mental Health; Indians of North America - Substance Use; Indians of North America - Mental Health
• American Indians; Substance Abuse; Communities That Care Youth Survey; Cultural Attitudes; Culturally Competent Clinicians

Statement dc:rights

• This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/305

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-1302