Improving the Health of Alaska Native People Through Use of a Policy Change Model and Capacity Building.

Abstract

Public health training often includes program and education development but not policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) strategies. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country program works to build tribal PSE change capacity. Trainings included community health assessment, facilitation and leadership engagement, policy and systems, and digital storytelling. From 2014 to 2017, 30 PSE changes were made: 3 tobacco-free healthcare organization policies; 2 tobacco-free tribal resolutions; 1 tobacco-free school district policy; 3 healthy food policies and environmental changes; 4 improvements in patient-provider communication; 13 prediabetes, obesity, and/or tobacco screening and referral policies; 3 improvements to health care facility signage; and 1 Baby-friendly Hospital application, protecting the health of 46,000 tribal community members. Targeted training and technical assistance moved tribal staff from a focus on direct services to population-based improvements. This increased self-efficacy may increase the sustainability of chronic disease public health efforts and improve tribal health.