Scholarly Work - Indigenous Research Initiative
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/15852
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Item American Indian young adults display diminished cardiovascular and cortisol responses to acute psychological stress(2020-04) John-Henderson, Neha A.; Gruman, Hannah E.; Counts, Cory J.; Ginty, Annie T.American Indian adults are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease compared with non-Hispanic white adults. Scant research exists examining the underlying physiological and psychological mechanisms associated with these risks. This study aimed to examine possible psychological and physiological stress-related mechanisms related to cardiovascular disease risk in healthy American Indian and non-Hispanic white adults. Forty American Indian (60% female, Mean age = 19.93, SD = 2.08 years) and 45 non-Hispanic white (70% female, Mean age = 20.18, SD = 2.22 years) participants attended an in-person laboratory session. Salivary cortisol and cardiovascular activity were measured before (baseline), during, and after exposure to a 10-minute mental arithmetic task. Compared to non-Hispanic white participants, American Indian had diminished salivary cortisol (p < .001), blood pressure (p’s < .001), and heart rate (p = .041) responses to acute psychological stress. These effects could not be accounted for by differences in task performance or self-reported engagement. Previous research has shown that exaggerated responses to stress are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, diminished responses to stress are associated with early childhood stress and future adverse behaviors (e.g., addiction, obesity). Diminished reactivity may influence behaviors that can impact future development of cardiovascular disease in American Indian populations.Item Association of belief in the "firewater myth" with strategies to avoid alcohol consequences among American Indian and Alaska Native college students who drink(2018-05) Gonzalez, Vivian M.; Skewes, Monica C.Belief in an American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) specific biological vulnerability (BV) to alcohol problems (aka the "firewater myth") is associated with worse alcohol outcomes among AI/AN college students who drink, despite also being associated with greater attempts to reduce drinking. The current study examined how belief in a BV may have affected how 157 AI/AN college students who drink (a) attempted to moderate their alcohol use and avoid alcohol-related problems using abstinence-based and harm reduction strategies, and (b) attitudes toward these strategies as a means of addressing alcohol problems. Contrary to our hypotheses, belief in a BV was not found to be associated with use of harm reduction strategies or with how effective students believed these strategies to be. However, greater belief in a BV was associated with lower self-efficacy for the use of harm reduction strategies among more frequent heavy episodic drinkers. This is concerning, as the use of harm reduction strategies was associated with less frequent heavy episodic drinking in this sample. In contrast, belief in a BV was positively associated with the use of abstinence-based strategies and with how effective these strategies were perceived to be. However, for individuals with average or greater belief in a BV, abstinence-based strategies were associated with greater alcohol consequences. The results suggest that for AI/AN students who drink, belief in a BV may be influencing the strategies used to moderate alcohol use and avoid alcohol-related harm, as well as attitudes toward these strategies, in ways that do not appear helpful.Item Sobriety and alcohol use among rural Alaska Native elders(2016-02) Skewes, Monica C.; Lewis, Jordan P.Background: Although notable health disparities related to alcohol use persist among Alaska Native people living in rural communities, there is a paucity of research examining drinking behaviour in particular segments of this population, including elders. One explanation for this is the distrust of behavioural health research in general and alcohol research in particular following the legacy of the Barrow Alcohol Study, still regarded as a notable example of ethics violations in cross-cultural research. Objective: The present study reports findings from one of the first research studies asking directly about alcohol abuse among rural Alaska Natives (AN) since the study in Barrow took place in 1979. Design: We report findings regarding self-reported alcohol use included in an elder needs assessment conducted with 134 Alaska Native elders from 5 rural villages off the road system in Alaska. Data were collected in partnership between academic researchers and community members in accordance with the principles of Community-Based Participatory Research. Results: Findings showed very high rates of sobriety and low rates of alcohol use, contradicting stereotypes of widespread alcohol abuse among AN. Possible explanations and future research directions are discussed. Conclusions: This research represents one step forward in mending academic-community relationships in rural Alaska to further research on alcohol use and related health disparities.Item Prejudice and traits of victimization among the Crow Indians : an experiment in behavior modification(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 1972) Parks, Helen Margaret BybeeItem Native American women and AIDS-preventive behavior : a test of the information-motivation-behavioral skills model(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2000) Meeks, Dakota Dawn SyvrudItem Native American suicide deaths in Montana : 1989-1992(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 1996) Sanddal, Nels DodgeItem Ethnic Identity, Drinking Motives, and Alcohol Consequences Among Alaska Native and Non-Native College Students(2014-12) Skewes, Monica C.; Blume, Arthur W.This research involves the examination of drinking motives, alcohol consequences, and ethnic identity in a sample of Native and non-Native college student drinkers in Alaska. Although more Alaska Native students are abstinent from alcohol compared to any other ethnic group, Native students who do drink experience greater alcohol consequences and dependence symptoms. Therefore, we attempted to examine the influence of ethnic identity on alcohol consequences in a diverse sample of Native and non-Native students in Alaska. Findings showed that drinking motives, as measured by the Drinking Motives Questionnaire (social, coping, enhancement, and conformity), significantly predicted alcohol consequences after controlling for frequency of monthly binge drinking. In addition, after controlling for depression, binge drinking, and drinking motives, one aspect of ethnic identity (Affirmation, Belonging, and Commitment) was significantly negatively related to alcohol consequences, whereas another aspect of ethnic identity (Ethnic Identity Search) was not. Taken together, these findings suggest that interventions for college student alcohol misuse that target Native students should be culturally grounded and focused on enhancing the Affirmation, Belonging, and Commitment to one's ethnic heritage and should address drinking motives, especially drinking to cope, as a way to reduce alcohol related harm.Item Problematic eating and weight control behaviors among Native Americans : a meta-analytic review(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2006) Maertens, Julie Ann; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Wesley LynchA ubiquitous clinical stereotype has conventionally associated eating pathology with White, upper-class girls and women. However, recent studies suggest that problem eating behavior and use of unhealthy weight control techniques span many ethnic and socioeconomic groups. High rates of obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes suggest that unhealthy eating behaviors may be a particularly serious problem among Native American youth and adults. This meta-analytic review of studies reporting the prevalence of specific eating practices among Native American participants reveals that on average, 18% of Native Americans report engaging in pathologic eating and weight control behaviors. Additionally, nearly half of Native Americans report body dissatisfaction, while 10% report chronic dieting, despite normal body mass index. Finally, compared to their White counterparts, Native Americans are significantly more likely to report body dissatisfaction, pathologic weight control methods, as well as binge eating. Study limitations and future considerations are discussed.