262133 Examination of alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents and the alcohol retail environment on and near American Indian reservations in Minnesota

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 2:50 PM - 3:10 PM

Meghan Porter, MPH , Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center, Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc., Minneapolis, MN
Samantha Lucas, MPH , Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center, Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc, Minneapolis, MN
     
Background: American Indians in the United States face numerous health, social, and economic disparities. Though data are insufficient in quality and number, alcohol abuse may disproportionately affect this population.

Methods: Contract Health Service Delivery Areas (CHSDAs) were used as the level of geography for this study. CHSDAs are counties including or adjoining American Indian reservations; they are commonly used when calculating American Indian health statistics when using national or state datasets.

The number of motor vehicle accidents (MVA) in which alcohol was a factor was examined via crash report form data for non-metropolitan CHSDA and non-CHSDA counties in Minnesota for 2008-2011. The number of businesses in 2011 that sold alcohol (liquor stores and alcohol-serving establishments) and alcohol sale revenue in these areas were examined using a web tool. Results: It was found that there were three times as many alcohol-serving establishments per capita and 50% more liquor stores in CHSDAs than in non-CHSDAs. Per capita there were 20% higher alcohol sales in CHSDAs than in non-CHSDAs.

An MVA in CHSDA counties had significantly higher odds of being alcohol-related (OR=1.43; 95% CI: 1.25, 1.64) and alcohol-related MVAs in CHSDAs had significantly higher odds of being fatal (OR=2.32; 95% CI: 1.32, 4.09) compared to non-CHSDAs.

Conclusion: Greater availability of alcohol in areas on and near American Indian reservations may contribute to higher rates of alcohol-related MVAs in these regions.

Learning Areas:
Diversity and culture
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
1. Compare alcohol retail environments and motor vehicle accidents for non-metropolitan counties near or on American Indian reservations in Minnesota with non-metropolitan counties not near reservations. 2. Explain benefits and drawbacks of using Contract Health Service Delivery Areas as the level of geography for American Indian statistics.

Keywords: American Indians, Motor Vehicles

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I work at the Tribal Epidemiology Center serving Minnesota and worked on the data analysis for the submitted abstract.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

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.

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