Journal of indigenous social development最新文献

Suicide death rates for Indigenous Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders are amongst the highest in the world for youth, taking a tremendous toll on local communities (Else et al., 2007; Goebert, 2014). Comprehension of community perspectives of suicide and well-being can enhance suicide prevention interventions. This community-initiated project aimed to culturally adapt the components of an evidence-based youth suicide prevention intervention and refine the intervention methodology to align with these adaptations. Formative qualitative work was conducted with community members to obtain information on community strengths and program fit. Narrative analyses were emergent and emphasized components for suicide prevention, incorporating cultural auditing to ensure information reflected group views. Participants highlighted cultural aspects pertaining to the program philosophy, the importance of cultural protocol, local innovation in suicide prevention, and culturally grounded advancements that give back to their community. This insight was applied to two adjacent but distinct communities to integrate suicide prevention in a sustainable way by culturally adapting the program. Effective suicide prevention for rural and Indigenous youth requires a broad-based community commitment, connection, and network.

Reducing Risk through Interpersonal Development, Empowerment, Resiliency, and Self-Determination (RezRIDERS) is a tribally-driven youth empowerment program designed to deter substance abuse and depression symptomology among high-risk American Indian youth while increasing hope/optimism, self-efficacy, and pro-social bonding. The quasi-experimental intervention took place between 2012-2015 in the Pueblo of Jemez (New Mexico, USA). The community-based program served fifty-five total youth. RezRIDERS has four major curricular components: 1) Extreme Sport activity clusters paired with; 2) Indigenized behavioral-cognitive lessons; 3) Tribal Research Team providing program oversight and cultural mentoring; and 4) Community action projects addressing youth-identified community issues. This unique program is a modern version of challenge and journeying that Indigenous people historically experienced as norms. Using qualitative and quantitative data, intervention pilot-testing assessed feasibility and efficacy of the program.

Indigenous people, specifically American Indians (AI), have historically had a greater mistrust of the medical system compared to their White counterparts. The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of AI adolescent girls living in an urban, Midwest area about health care providers, health care systems, and access to health care as related to sexual health care. Using grounded theory methodology, twenty 15-19 year old AI girls participated in talking circles and individual interviews. Two distinct themes emerged related to sexual health care: 1) AI adolescent girls trust their health care providers and the health care system; and 2) Access to health care is critical to practicing safe sex and obtaining information about healthy sexual practices. These findings are unique and may help health care providers and social workers providing care and support to the urban adolescent AI girl.

Cancer mortality is rising at an astonishing rate on the island of Guam compared to the US. The indigenous people of Guam, the Chamorro, suffer from the highest rates of cancer death compared to other ethnic groups. To better understand some of the factors underlying these mortality rates, in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 self-identified Chamorros of Guam to explore their experiences seeking screening and treatment for cancer. Respondent's care-seeking was significantly influenced by their family's wealth and their health insurance coverage. Informants who did not seek regular cancer screening reported financial barriers along with a lack of awareness of cancer screening. Immediate family members facilitated increased access to cancer care, but extended family members sometimes caused increased stress for participants with cancer. Public awareness campaigns promoting cancer screening need to be tied to structural changes to the health care system to make cancer care financially accessible for care-seekers.