The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

3318.0: Monday, November 17, 2003 - Board 3

Abstract #70718

American Indian women: Preventing drinking and violence pilot project

Christy McCain, MPH1, Elaine G. Zahnd, PhD1, Sue Holtby, MPH2, and Dorie Klein, DCrim1. (1) Public Health Institute, 210 High St., Ste 205, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, 831-427-4925, christymccain@cruzio.com, (2) Senior Research Scientist, Public Health Institute, 210 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Objectives: To learn more about the role of substance abuse in violent victimization experienced by low-income American Indian women. Methods: In-person interviews with 110 American Indian women were conducted in non-reservation agencies throughout California. Survey topics included demographics, attitudes towards drinking and violence, early exposure to violence, history of substance use and violence, both as a child and as an adult, and the degree of involvement in American Indian culture. Responses were analyzed using frequencies and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Eighty-one percent reported some type of childhood incident, of which 63% were severe as defined by the Conflict Tactics Scale. Women who had experienced severe childhood violence were over three times as likely to have had a recent incident than those who had not had such experiences. More than a third of the women had witnessed physical violence growing up, with 61% of them reporting alcohol involvement at the time of the violence. Almost a third of the women interviewed (32%) reported a recent violent incident within the past 12 months. Recent incident predictors included severe childhood violence, problem drinking, and income/welfare status. Attitudes toward violence and prejudice from non-Indians were contributing factors. Conclusion: The link between alcohol use and recent violence is complex and should be addressed through multilevel prevention approaches. Uncovering the extent of substance-related violence during childhood and exploring the role of culture as a protective factor can help programs to prevent future childhood victimization and alcohol problems among women who have been maltreated.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Alcohol, Violence Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Alcohol Problems and Solutions in Special Populations Poster Session

The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA