Alchohol Abuse in Urban Indian Adolescents and Women: A Longitudinal Study for Assessment and Risk Evaluation

Abstract

Over the years, frequent conversations with Drs. Dale Walker and Pat Silk-Walker impressed upon me the careful thought that had been invested in their longitudinal study of alcohol use and abuse among a large sample of urban Indians, with special emphasis on the mother/child dyad. As we talked, there was little doubt in my mind that the empirical findings of this work would find its way into a variety of professional and public forums. However, many of the issues that we discussed at greatest length had to do with the opportunities for and challenges of conducting longitudinal research in this special population. Those issues touched upon matters of science -e.g., sampling, recruitment, retention, analysis, participant confidentiality -as well as local benefit -e.g., community participation, feedback, and programmatic application. The lessons learned about these matters seemed much less likely to be published. Most professional journals, today, are interested only in what they consider to be the "meat" or substance of a study; the "doing" of research often is considered outside of this domain. Ironically, with respect to longitudinal work in particular, thoughtful reflection on the latter is precisely what is now needed. Thus, Walker et al.'s offer to author a manuscript along these lines, employing their current experience as the central speaking point, was fortuitous: an offer I quickly accepted.In the pages that follow, then, the reader is treated to a sophisticated presentation of research methods employed in a longitudinal fashion and comments by other investigators who have shared similar struggles. The result is a wonderful discussion of ideas, approaches, and priorities that is sure to instruct all of us. This exchange adds in important ways to the dialogue surrounding the potential and the pitfalls of studying the human condition over time.

Parental History of Alcoholism and Problem Behaviors in Native‐American Children and Adolescents

“…(1 8 -25 years old) men from the same reservations (GarciaAndrade et al, 1996), as well as research studies of other Native-American tribes (Gill et al, 1997;Harford, 1992;Kivlahan et al, 1985;Long et al, 1995;Walker et al, 1996;Zeiner et al, 1985), these Mission Indian children and adolescents had a very high prevalence of family history of alcoholism. Seventy-four percent of the youths had either one or both parents with alcohol dependence.…”

Native Women, Violence, Substance Abuse and HIV Risk

“…Depression, which is often associated with substance abuse, is the leading psy chiatric issue for Native Americans. American Indian women with a history of alcohol dependence have higher rates of depression, anxiety, phobic anxiety, hostility, para noid ideation, psychoses, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors than those without a history of alcohol depen dence (Walker et al 1996). Among urban Native clients in California, co-occurring mental health and substance abuse issues are common.…”

Stress, coping, and well-being among the Yup`ik of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta: the role of enculturation and acculturation

“…In the context of the literature reviewed above, as well as our preliminary findings in Yup'ik communities, we hypothesized that living the Kass'aq (white) way of life (acculturation) would be associated with reports of greater psychosocial stress, and that living the Yup'ik way of life would be associated with reports of greater psychological well-being. Our examination of the relationship between the cultural identity variables and coping styles was more exploratory in nature, although other research suggests that acculturation may be associated with a tendency to use drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism (15,17,22,25,26).…”