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Abstract #161214

Sandra L. Momper, PhD, MSW, Substance Abuse Research Center, University of Michigan, 2025 Traverwood Drive, Suite C, Ann Arbor, MI 48105-2194, 734-998-6323, Smomper@umich.edu

This exploratory study was conducted using focus groups to better understand American Indian views of gambling, alcohol, smoking, and drug use on a Great Lakes Indian Reservation. Respondents were tribal members between the ages of 12 and 85 years of age. Specific aims were: 1) to have tribal members' describe their views of gambling, alcohol, smoking, and drug use on the reservation, and 2) to use this information to generate hypotheses for a future mixed method study of gambling, alcohol, smoking, and drug use on reservations. The 10 focus groups were 1-2 hours duration (N=60). An “emergent design” approach to conducting the groups was utilized to allow elders to be full participants in the design of the study. The first group was comprised of elders who provided input on group composition, question content, and moderating style for the 9 subsequent groups. Focus groups are very appropriate as throughout history Indians have relied on oral communication (talking circles) to tell their stories. Results indicate that 1) future research needs to include mental health and its relationship to gambling, alcohol, smoking, and drug use on reservations, 2) studies that utilize a mixed methods approach (including focus groups and/or interviews) maximize researchers' ability to obtain relevant information on Indian views of social problems, and 3) there is a need to provide intervention programs that include input from Indians on how to better address social problems on reservations. This research was funded by the University of Michigan Tobacco Research Network (UMTRN) Grant # N005455.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn what Indians think of gambling and substance use on a reservation as well as how they would conduct research to investigate these issues. 2.Describe the steps that one has to go through to be able to conduct focus groups (gambling and substance use) on an Indian reservation that will ensure that tribal members are full participants in the research process as well as culturally comfortable with the research being conducted.
• Acquire ideas about formulating a mixed method research study of gambling and substance use on an Indian reservation that includes tribal member participation in the research and in the development of a culturally appropriate intervention.

Keywords: American Indians, Substance Abuse Assessment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.