Citation

Lee JP, Pagano A, Moore RS, Tilsen N, Henderson JA, Iron Shell A, Davids S, LeBeaux L, Gruenewald P. Int. J. Drug Policy 2018; 54: 77-86.

Affiliation

Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 180 Grand Avenue, Suite 1200, Oakland, CA, 94612, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.01.010

PMID

29414489

Abstract

On a Northern Plains reservation where alcohol was prohibited, we investigated community members' views on the impacts of alcohol availability. Our methods combined elements of Tribal community participatory research with qualitative inquiry to elicit these perspectives. We used rapid appraisal techniques to conduct confidential interviews with 31 key leaders representing 7 relevant major community systems, and representing a variety of perspectives. Topics included respondents' understandings of the current systems of alcohol availability and use on the reservation, the impacts of these systems on reservation residents, and possible ways to measure these impacts. Respondents reported impacts on individuals, families, and the tribe overall. Alcohol-related problems shaped and were shaped by aconstellation of social-ecological conditions: kinship, housing, employment, public/social service capacity, and the supply of alcohol in nearby off-reservation areas, as well as inter-governmental relationships and the spiritual life of reservation residents. A variety of socialstructural determinants magnified alcohol impacts, so that the problem drinking of a small number of individuals could have broad effects on their families and the entire community. Our participatory qualitative methods enabled us to directly include the voices as well as the personal experiences and expertise of community members in this presentation.These methods may be broadly applied within policy analysis to identify ways to reduce harms related to alcohol and other drugs for Indigenous communities.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Alcohol availability; Alcoholic beverage regulation; American Indian; Prohibition; Tribal participatory research