Community Mapping: A Tool in the Fight Against Cigarette Smoking on American Indian Reservations

Abstract

Community mapping is a helpful tool for health planners and educators, policy makers, providers, and nurses. Community mapping provides a systematic process for identifying capacities, barriers, identified goals, and serves as a resource for mobilizing neighborhoods to solve problems. The Tobacco Policies Among Plains Tribes Project conducted a community mapping process at 7 Sioux, Ojibwe, and Winnebago reservations. The purpose was to document cigarette sales and smoking activity to establish environmental influences and behaviors surrounding tobacco abuse. Mixed qualitative research methods were used. Structured observations were conducted, photographs were taken, and tribal authorities were contacted regarding smoking policies. Formal policies related to cigarette-smoking sanctions were scarce. The community mapping tool provided information for tribal policy makers and health planners. Developing culturally appropriate health policies and interventions for poor, underserved, and minority communities may be accomplished via community mapping techniques.