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

Abstract #70718

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:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to:
• Identify the role of alcohol consumption in violent victimization experienced by low-income American Indian women.
• Describe three predictors of past 12-month violence among low-income American Indian women.
• Examine the relationship between early exposure to violence and adult experiences with violence and AOD use.
• Analyze the degree of involvement in American Indian culture and its contribution to alcohol consumption and violent episodes.

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.