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334995
Access to communicable disease preventive care for a vulnerable Native American population: Indiana's Pow Wow Opportunities for Non-reservation based services


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 2:30 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.

Juanita Ebert Brand, RN, EdD, MSN, NPc, School of Nursing, Ball State University, Muncie IN, Muncie IN, IN
Doug Poe, BA, American Indian Center of Indiana, Inc., Indianapolis, IN
Virginia A. Caine, MD, Public Health Administration, Marion County Public Health Department, Indianapolis, IN
Millicent Fleming-Moran, PhD, Dept. of Epidemiology, Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County, Indianapolis, IN
Joshua Staples, M.S., Assistant in School of Nursing/ Grad student in School of Counseling Psychology, Ball State University, Muncie, IN
Anita Ohmit, MPH, Racial and Ethnic Minority Epidemiology Center, Indiana Minority Health Coalition, Indianapolis, IN
Introduction:  Indiana has 55,000 Native Americans (NA), but an estimated 15% access Indian Health Services (IHS) care, and they are at greater risk of communicable diseases than the general population.  This first known formative study of NAs perceived service-needs asks: 1) Do community-living NAs perceive communicable disease(s) risk, and 2), do they perceive services to be acceptable in the powwow setting?

Background:  102 Indiana NA adults completed a self-administered questionnaire (2014-2015). They are 60% female, mean age 47.7 years, who identify as NA, and represent 50+ tribal affiliations. 

Perceived sexually transmitted infection (STI) Risk:  Asked about perceived risk for unspecified STIs, only 5% felt “at risk”. However, 54% had been tested for HIV; 65% knew their HIV status, and over 60% were aware of “human papilloma virus (HPV)”. Those “ever tested for HIV” (<.03), or recognizing HPV (p=.01) were significantly younger than untested, or non-aware counterparts.

Vaccine and screening acceptance:  The majority (72%) viewed offered vaccinations at NA-events as a “valuable health service”.  Nearly 40% would accept vaccines, with those willing to accept being significantly younger than those who would decline [p=.04 to p=.001, depending on vaccine].  Over 70% would accept finger stick hepatitis screenings.   A majority (64%) thought “NA community members” would participate in confidential, low-cost STI testing; 42% would personally participate in such services. 

Conclusions:  NA-sponsored events are an accepted venue for communicable disease prevention services in this vulnerable population.  While older individuals perceive lower risk than younger participants, the majority felt the pow wow an appropriate place for education and services.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related nursing
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe two criteria for Native American acceptance of prevention services at Native community-sponsored events.

Keyword(s): Native Americans, STDs/STI

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been carrying out Native American health access research for past two years. I also have experience in sexually transmitted infections and care as a researcher and as a primary care nurse practitioner. I have been a public health nurse researcher for past 7 years and have completed research in communicable diseases.
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.

Back to: 4339.0: Access to Health Care Services by Special, Vulnerable, and Underserved Populations