Cited by 196Indigenous Health, Education, and RightsSubstance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesIndigenous Health and Education

Epidemiology and Etiology of Substance Use among American Indians and Alaska Natives: Risk, Protection, and Implications for Prevention

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Whitesell, Nancy Rumbaugh, Beals, Janette, Crow, Cecelia Big, Mitchell, Christina M., Novins, Douglas K.·2012·The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology and etiology of substance use and disorder in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities have received increasing attention over the past 25 years and accumulating evidence provides important insights into substance use patterns in these populations. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: We provide a descriptive sketch of the AI/AN population in the United States today, present a brief review of the literature on the epidemiology and etiology of substance use within these populations, and discuss key implications of this literature for prevention efforts. CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Patterns of alcohol use and abuse in AI/AN populations are complex and vary across cultural groups, but alcohol clearly impacts both physical health and mental health within these communities. Tobacco use - and associated health consequences - is typically higher in these populations than among other US groups, although significant variation across Native communities is apparent here as with alcohol. Evidence regarding drug use and disorder is less extensive and thus less conclusive, but evidence demonstrates higher rates of use as well. Etiological explanations for substance use and disorder cut across individual characteristics (e.g., genetics) or experiences (e.g., exposure to trauma), to social contexts (e.g., family disruption), and to cultural factors (e.g., historical trauma). Protective factors likely cut across these multiple levels as well and deserve more focused attention for informing prevention efforts. The development of effective prevention strategies, built through collaboration between researchers and Native communities, drawing from the wisdom of both, is a high priority.

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Crossref · 10.3109/00952990.2012.694527

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  • Among AIANs, forced relocation, poverty-related stress, exposure to violence, and substance use are closely associated with each other and with substance use.

    “Among AIANs, forced relocation, poverty-related stress, exposure to violence, and substance use are closely associated with each other and with substance use [30,33,35].”

    From Substance and Behavioral Addictions among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations (2022) · cites this paper as [33]

    The Individual Risk and Protective Factors section (page not supplied) reports a strong association between trauma exposure or PTSD and substance use among AI/ANs. Contemporary AI/AN Populations mentions federal relocation policies and poverty, but does not link either to substance use; the copy also does not establish the claimed associations among all these factors or specifically identify violence exposure in that association. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Positive substance-related expectancies pose a risk for SUD.

    “Cognitive-behavioral processes—specifically, positive substance-related expectancies pose a risk for SUD [33].”

    From Substance and Behavioral Addictions among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations (2022) · cites this paper as [33]

    The “Cognitive Behavioral Processes” subsection links alcohol-use expectancies with the quantity and frequency of drinking among American Indian and Alaska Native adolescents. It does not specify positive expectancies or establish a risk for substance use disorder, so the claim extends beyond the finding reported here (page unavailable). (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • Accessibility to preventive healthcare and SUD treatment services is often limited.

    “Accessibility to preventive healthcare and SUD treatment services is often limited [33,62]”

    From Substance and Behavioral Addictions among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations (2022) · cites this paper as [33]

    The Service Systems section says health services for substance use problems have limited availability in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and that urban and suburban residents have little access to Indian Health Service facilities. It does not specifically establish limited access to preventive healthcare; the Implications for Prevention section discusses how to develop interventions, not access to preventive services. No page numbers are available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • Poverty, acculturation, and personality disorders appear to be risk factors for addiction in AIAN individuals as well.

    “Consistent with prior research in non-AIAN samples, poverty, acculturation, and personality disorders [95,96,97,98] appear to be risk factors for addiction in AIAN individuals as well [33,43,50].”

    From Substance and Behavioral Addictions among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations (2022) · cites this paper as [33]

    The Psychiatric Risk section (page unavailable) associates personality characteristics and psychiatric comorbidities with substance use and disorder among AI/ANs, but does not specifically identify personality disorders. The Demographic Factors section says poverty is prevalent but cautions that attributing risk to it is difficult. The Cultural Identity section reports mixed findings about culture-related risk; it does not establish acculturation as a risk factor. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The repercussions of historical trauma continue to be evidenced in current structural racism and social determinants of health that adversely impact AIANs' overall health and outweigh their coping resources.

    “The repercussions of historical trauma continue to be evidenced in current structural racism and social determinants of health that adversely impact AIANs’ overall health and outweigh their coping resources [27,33,43].”

    From Substance and Behavioral Addictions among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations (2022) · cites this paper as [33]

    The Historical Trauma section says the legacy of colonization and federal assimilation policies continues to affect AI/AN lives. The Contextual Risk and Protective Factors section links social settings and underfunded health services to substance-use disparities. The paper does not specifically say that present-day structural racism and social determinants outweigh AI/ANs’ coping resources or establish that claim for overall health. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Authors
Whitesell, N. R., Beals, J., Crow, C. B., Mitchell, C. M., & Novins, D. K.
Affiliations
  • Colorado School of Public Health (US)
  • Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
Corresponding author
Whitesell, Nancy Rumbaugh
Venue
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Published
2012-08-29
Volume
38
Issue
5
Pages
376-382
ISSN
  • 0095-2990 (ISSN-L)
  • 1097-9891
OpenAlex
W2162353791
Cited by
196
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
FWCI
1.36
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5r01da022239-04)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01-DA022239, RC4DA029974)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Indigenous Health, Education, and Rights
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Indigenous Health and Education
Keywords
American Indians and Alaska Natives, substance use, alcohol consumption, alcohol abuse, tobacco use, drug use, substance use disorders, etiology, risk factors, protective factors, historical trauma, trauma exposure, family breakdown, cultural factors, prevention, indigenous peoples
MeSH terms
Smoking Prevention, Alaska, Alcohol Drinking, Cooperative Behavior, Humans, Indians, North American, Risk, Smoking, United States, Substance-Related Disorders

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