Indian Reservations Research Articles

Examining naloxone access and interest in secondary naloxone distribution on an American Indian Reservation in the Northern Midwest of the United States

BackgroundIndigenous communities in the United States experience disproportionate rates of overdose morbidity and mortality due to a range of historical traumas and ongoing oppression. Limited health and harm reduction service access on some Tribal lands exacerbate these challenges. To date, little is known about naloxone access on tribal reservation lands. MethodsWe used cross-sectional survey data from community members on the reservation lands of a northern Midwest Tribe in the United States. We explored the prevalence and correlates of recent (past 6-month) naloxone receipt and interest in secondary naloxone distribution among all participants and people who used drugs (PWUD) recently. Correlates included sociodemographics, cultural identity and spirituality, witnessing overdoses, stigma, and drug use characteristics. ResultsAmong 227 Indigenous participants, the average age was 45, 62 % were women, 53 % were single, 29 % were not working, 29 % had experienced recent hunger, and 8 % considered themselves homeless. 91 % said that Indigenous spiritual values were important to them. Sixteen percent had witnessed a recent non-fatal overdose, and 6 % had witnessed a fatal one. Twenty-four percent of the overall sample had recently received naloxone, and 40 % of PWUD had received it. Witnessing both fatal (p<0.001) and nonfatal overdoses (p=0.001) were associated with receiving naloxone. Further, 63 % of participants were willing to distribute naloxone. ConclusionsInnovative strategies to expand naloxone access that are culturally relevant and responsive are needed in Indigenous communities. Cultural connectedness and shared identity are key strengths of Indigenous communities that can potentially be leveraged to implement secondary naloxone distribution programs.

Firearm Experiences, Behaviors, and Norms Among Rural Adolescents

Rural adolescents are at high risk for firearm-related injury, yet most existing prevention efforts are informed by research conducted in urban areas. Despite the need to account for rural perspectives, few studies have investigated the unique social ecological context of firearms for rural adolescents or have directly engaged with rural adolescents to understand their views on firearm use. To describe rural adolescents' firearm behaviors and perceptions of firearm-related social norms within their communities, peer groups, and families. This cross-sectional study used a convergent mixed-methods design and involved a community-based participatory research approach. Participants comprised 93 adolescents residing in rural Washington state and enrolled in a county or tribal reservation 4-H youth development program as an intermediate or senior age-level grouping (ie, aged 12-19 years). Adolescents completed a survey and participated in a semistructured focus group or interview between September 1, 2021, and September 30, 2022. Data were analyzed using descriptive and thematic analysis. Individual handgun behavior and peer, family, and community perceptions of firearm-related social norms. The sample included 93 adolescents (mean [SD] age, 15.7 [1.7] years; 49 female participants [52.7%]). Approximately half of participants (52 [55.9%]) had carried a handgun at some point in their lives, with a mean (SD) age at first carry of 10.9 (3.1) years. Primary themes across quantitative and qualitative data focused on social norms (specifically, acceptable and unacceptable ways to engage with firearms, reasons for carrying firearms, and places to carry a firearm). In this cross-sectional study, rural adolescents in 4-H programs generally understood acceptable and unacceptable firearm carrying behaviors, which aligned with state laws. Findings provide context for rural adolescent behaviors such as carrying a firearm predominantly for prosocial reasons (hunting, recreation, and sport) and adult behavior such as carrying for protection of person and personal property. Understanding firearm-related social norms in rural communities holds implications for firearm injury prevention efforts, especially related to enhancing training, developing norms-based prevention approaches, and tailoring efforts to rural settings.

A case study of the role of strategic communication in promoting business growth through financial literacy in underserved communities

This study explores the role of strategic communication in promoting business growth through enhanced financial literacy in underserved communities. The primary objective is to assess how tailored communication strategies can improve financial literacy among small business owners and contribute to economic development in marginalized areas. Using a case study approach, the research focuses on three diverse communities: Detroit, Michigan; the South Bronx, New York; and Native American reservations. Data were collected through interviews, surveys, and analysis of program reports to evaluate the effectiveness of various communication strategies. The results indicate that culturally relevant communication, community engagement, and multi-channel dissemination are critical in overcoming barriers to financial literacy. These strategies led to measurable improvements in financial behaviors, including better budgeting, increased savings, and access to credit, which in turn facilitated business growth. The discussion highlights the importance of trust-building and cultural sensitivity in financial education initiatives, suggesting that strategic communication is a key driver in the economic empowerment of underserved communities. Keywords: Strategic Communication, Financial Literacy, Business Growth, Underserved Communities, Economic Development, Case Study

Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program (DOT)

Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program (DOT)

Technology-rich Engineering Experiences in Indigenous and Rural Schools

Indigenous populations, constituting 6.2% of the global population, face challenges in STEM education due to systemic barriers and limited exposure to science and engineering. Our research, part of a federally funded project, aimed to address these challenges by implementing Community-Based Engineering (CBE) education in an elementary school located on a Native American Reservation in the United States. In this paper, we used CBE as our theoretical framework situating engineering within the context of students' communities and cultures. Our participants included 15 students and two Native American teachers with varying teaching experience. We employed mixed methods and combined quantitative tools such as the Engineering Identity Development Scale and the Engineering Technology subscale of the S-STEM survey, with qualitative data from teacher and student interviews. Our analysis revealed significant changes in students' perceptions of engineering for their communities and their personal engineering identities after they engaged with CBE lessons. We also found that the cultural connections to community were evident in student interviews. Furthermore, teachers appreciated CBE and emphasized that these engineering lessons enrich their rich traditions and practices. This study highlights the effectiveness of CBE and demonstrates how engineering education can be more inclusive and resonant with Indigenous students.

Measuring postal access and direct delivery services among Native American reservations in Montana and South Dakota

ABSTRACT Over the past two decades voting by mail has increased. As the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the 2020 political season, absentee voting increased to over 43% of all votes cast in the November Presidential Election. In recent years, many states have passed laws to limit the scope of absentee voting as necessary to curtail voter fraud. Though no evidence exists that fraud is more likely with mail-in voting, such laws have been found to have a disproportionate impact on some groups of voters more than others. This is true of many Native American communities that often rely on absentee voting. This study will utilize geospatial methods to examine postal realities for Native American on reservations in Montana and South Dakota. By illustrating where postal services are or are not located, a fuller contextual analysis of the issue can be provided. Such methods can enhance current methodologies utilized by political geographers.

Social Determinants of Health Among American Indians and Alaska Natives and Tribal Communities: Comparison with Other Major Racial and Ethnic Groups in the United States, 1990-2022.

Limited research exists on health inequities between American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs), tribal communities, and other population groups in the United States. To address this gap in research, we conducted time-trend analyses of social determinants of health and disease outcomes for AIANs as a whole and specific tribal communities and compared them with those from the other major racial/ethnic groups. We used data from the 1990-2022 National Vital Statistics System, 2015-2022 American Community Survey, and the 2018-2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to examine socioeconomic, health, disability, disease, and mortality patterns for AIANs. In 2021, life expectancy at birth was 70.6 years for AIANs, lower than that for Asian/Pacific Islanders (APIs) (84.1), Hispanics (78.8), and non-Hispanic Whites (76.3). All racial/ethnic groups experienced a decline in life expectancy between the pre-pandemic year of 2019 and the peak pandemic year of 2021. However, the impact of COVID-19 was the greatest for AIANs and Blacks whose life expectancy decreased by 6.3 and 5.8 years, respectively. The infant mortality rate for AIANs was 8.5 per 1,000 live births, 78% higher than the rate for non-Hispanic Whites. One in five AIANs assessed their physical and mental health as poor, at twice the rate of non-Hispanic Whites or the general population. COVID-19 was the leading cause of death among AIANs in 2021. Risks of mortality from alcohol-related problems, drug overdose, unintentional injuries, and homicide were higher among AIANs than the general population. AIANs had the highest overall disability, mental and ambulatory disability, health uninsurance, unemployment, and poverty rates, with differences in these indicators varying markedly across the AIAN tribes. AIANs remain a disadvantaged racial/ethnic group in the US in many health and socioeconomic indicators, with poverty rates in many Native American tribal groups and reservations exceeding 40%.

Reducing Commercial Tobacco Sales to Youth On and Around California Tribal Reservations With a Reward and Reminder Retail Intervention.

High prevalence of commercial tobacco product (CTP) use among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth is a public health crisis. A multi-level Tribal-community-based participatory research project under Tribal public health authority implemented a retailer-focused intervention to reduce AI/AN youth CTP use. We sought resolutions in support of a retailer-focused CTP intervention from Tribal Nations organized by a Tribally directed research program. We identified tobacco retail outlets operating on and within five miles of nine Tribal reservations, and CTP products sold at these outlets. We conducted a four-wave Reward and Reminder intervention with apparent minor buyers. Clerks who complied with the law received a modest reward and commendation in social media posts to the local Tribal communities, while clerks who sold without age verification were reminded of the laws. Of 18 retail outlets selling CTP, eight sold e-cigarettes, and all sold combustible cigarettes. The Reward and Reminder intervention showed an approximate 25% reduction in sales of CTP to apparent minors, with a 33% baseline CTP sales rate without age verification and an 8% intervention CTP sales rate without age verification. The intervention increased awareness of laws prohibiting CTP sales to minors and mandating age verification for young adults seeking to buy CTP. The intervention, which had support from all governing Tribal Nations, builds the evidence base of effective practices which Tribal public health authorities may utilize to reduce youth access to CTP on and around Tribal reservations. Sovereign Tribes have authority over commercial businesses operating on their lands. Tobacco 21 laws aiming to restrict commercial tobacco availability to youth are supported by Tribes. A retailer intervention in which apparent minors attempt commercial tobacco purchases can offer accountability feedback to retailers both on and near Tribal reservations. Obtaining Tribal support and publicizing the interventions helps mobilize Tribal communities to support commercial tobacco prevention and promote healthy youth.

Barriers to Hospice Care on the Native American Reservation

Barriers to Hospice Care on the Native American Reservation

Tribal Casinos and Identifying Who Moves to Opportunity

In this analysis, we examine what types of households migrate to American Indian reservation lands after the start of casino operations using longitudinal household data for 1989-2017. We find heterogeneous effects on migration by households of different types. American Indians who are single parents are significantly more likely to move to reservation lands after gaming operations commence. No significant changes in mobility were found among married households with children. These results suggest that pull factors may also affect how households decide to relocate when there are changes to economic opportunities and other community or social amenities.

Race and Place Matter: Inequity in Prenatal Care for Reservation-Dwelling American Indian People.

Early initiation and consistent use of prenatal care is linked with improved health outcomes. American Indian birthing people have higher rates of inadequate prenatal care (IPNC), but limited research has examined IPNC among people living on American Indian reservations. The current study uses birth certificate data from the state of Montana (n = 57,006) to examine predictors of IPNC. Data on the community context is integrated to examine the role of community health in mediating the associations between reservation status and IPNC. Results suggest that reservation-dwelling birthers are more likely to have IPNC, an association partially mediated by community health. Odds of IPNC are higher for reservation-dwelling American Indian people compared to reservation-dwelling White birthers, highlighting intersecting inequalities of race and place.

Evidence-Based Program Implementation Variability in New Contexts: The Head Start REDI Program

AbstractThis study involved a pilot implementation of an evidence based school readiness intervention in new community contexts. The Head Start Research Based, Developmentally Informed (REDI) program was implemented in preschools on and near a Native American reservation with both indigenous and non-indigenous students and teachers. The REDI curriculum involved 5 subcomponents targeting children’s literacy skills and social-emotional development. Teachers were provided with inperson and on-line training and in-person implementation support from a REDI coach. Implementation fidelity included ratings of of curriculum dosage and child engagement, as well as coach ratings of teaching quality using a modified version of the Classroom Assessment Scoring Scale (CLASS). Teachers indicated which adaptations they made to the curriculum and the reasons for these adaptations. Teachers also completed qualitative, post-implementation interviews to obtain their impressions of REDI and the need for planned modifications in their context. Analyses included measures of implementation fidelity and qualitative evaluation of adaptations. Results indicated that teachers found the REDI program both feasible and helpful for their students. Suggestions for planned adaptations included more STEM activities and the freedom to choose the dialogic reading books. Many spontaneous adaptations were noted. Teachers indicated that pragmatic issues, such as lack of time, were the main reasons for adapting the program, and deletions and substitutions of curricular activities were the most common types of changes. Implementation of program subcomponents improved gradually over the course of the school year. Some subcomponents were more likely to be adapted than others.

Determining the connectivity of tribal communities to wastewater treatment facilities for use in environmental contamination and exposure assessments by wastewater-based surveillance.

Limited information is available on the connectivity of Tribal communities to wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs). This is important for understanding current sanitation infrastructure which drives public health and community construction, knowledge of potential routes of exposure through lack of infrastructure and/or discharging facilities, and opportunities to assess community health through wastewater-based surveillance (WBS). The objective of this work was to assess current wastewater infrastructure for 574 Federally Recognized Indian Tribes (FRITs) in the United States (US) to determine the number and location of facilities on or adjacent to Tribal reservations and Off-Reservation Trust Lands, with the goal of determining the feasibility of employing wastewater-based surveillance within these communities and to identify areas with inadequate sanitation infrastructure. Here, we identified available National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) wastewater discharge permits in the Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Compliance History Online database to assess proximity to and within spatial boundaries of Tribal lands. These data were coupled to race data and tribal spatial boundary information from the US Census Bureau. 94 FRITs have registered NPDES permits within Tribal boundaries including a total of 522 facilities. 210 of these are American Indian (AI)-serving (>50% AI) with the ability to reach 135,000 AI-people through the wastewater network to provide community health assessments via WBS. Of the remaining facilities, 153 predominantly serve non-Tribal populations raising concerns about infrastructure placement and indigenous sovereignty. 523 FRITs were identified as without permitted discharging WWTFs, which may suggest inadequate or alternative infrastructure. Here, multiple data sources including permit information from the Environmental Protection Agency's National Pollution Discharge Elimination System and US Census Bureau data were used to determine the number of wastewater treatment facilities on or adjacent to Tribal lands and how many community members were connected to those municipal systems. This information was used to assess which Tribal communities may be a viable option for wastewater public health surveillance techniques and were used to answer supplemental questions related to basic sanitation and environmental justice concerns.

Place-Based Economic Development and Long-Run Firm Employment and Sales: Evidence from American Indian Reservations

Place-Based Economic Development and Long-Run Firm Employment and Sales: Evidence from American Indian Reservations

Abstract A045: Adhering to a culturally responsive framework: Integrating kinship into a multilevel community-based intervention for American Indian adults with comorbid type 2 diabetes and cancer

Abstract The prolific disparities of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cancer in tribal communities is well documented. American Indian (AI) adults living with T2D are at greater risk of not only developing cancer, but also dying from it, with cooccurrence becoming increasingly prevalent. On rural tribal reservations, common environmental diabetogenic factors (e.g., obesity, lack of physical activity, poor diet, and stress) are considered as sources of elevated risk for both T2D and cancer. Critically important in improving both diabetes and cancer-related health behaviors and outcomes, particularly for AI people, is psychosocial support from family and community ties (e.g., kinship). Despite supporting evidence, few interventions include kinship as a key factor to promote best outcomes for T2D management among AI adults with a dual diagnosis of cancer. To address this growing issue, there is an urgent need for culturally and contextually adapted interventions aiming to address the cooccurrence of T2D and cancer that are, ideally, led by tribal communities. In this session, healthcare professional Early-Stage Investigators (ESIs), some of whom also identify as AI, will present community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles used to develop a multilevel Tribally tailored intervention, with kinship as a moderating factor, for AI adults living with both T2D and cancer. The ESIs represent a unique pool of providers invested in the community within which they work by co-creating an intervention which utilizes pre-existing strong community and familial norms. The ESIs further look to break away from the common trend in research to overgeneralize interventions and findings to all AI Tribal communities by tailoring the intervention to each specific Tribal Community engaged in the research intervention. To foster innovative research methods by emphasizing important historic and socio-cultural influences relevant to understanding the holistic context of health disparities in tribal communities, the guiding framework is the NIMHD Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Framework adapted for AI and Alaska Native Nations. In this research, individuals are viewed within the context of the broader social system where they function daily, while families and community are key stakeholders and leaders in the successful management of T2D and cancer. The approach focuses on diabetes-related barriers by providing family and social units with skills for successful T2D and cancer management, healthy communication, and shared commitment. In addition to these domains of influence, involving community systems is critical for a sustainable intervention that effectively addresses health disparities for T2D and cancer. Citation Format: Sheila L. Hammer, Timian M. Godfrey. Adhering to a culturally responsive framework: Integrating kinship into a multilevel community-based intervention for American Indian adults with comorbid type 2 diabetes and cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A045.

A profile of American Indians and Alaska Natives in the U.S. labor force

In this article, I examine the labor force characteristics of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) during the 2019–21 period by using data from the Current Population Survey (CPS). AIANs typically have a younger age profile, a higher unemployment rate, and a lower labor force participation rate than the overall U.S. population. In addition, the unemployment rate is higher for AIANs who live in an AIAN area—a federal or state American Indian reservation or off-reservation trust land, tribal statistical area, or Alaska Native village statistical area—than for AIANs who live elsewhere.

Reservations About Safety

There are 326 Indian reservations across the USA, federally recognized as the homelands of tribal peoples. While this affords protected land and identity, it doesn’t guarantee road safety. Now with lives being lost at alarming rate on a stretch of US-97 on the Yakama Indian Reservation in Washington State, tribal leaders are taking action… deploying new technology from a local startup and capturing the vital data necessary to take advantage of the new era of infrastructure funding in the USA, as Tom Stone and Jack Roper discover

Beyond conventional models: Lending by Native Community Development Financial Institutions

AbstractNative Community Development Financial Institutions (Native CDFIs) have become an increasingly important source of credit and financial services in the areas on or near American Indian reservations in the United States. Guided by a conceptual framework developed on the basis of the related finance literature and drawing on loan‐level data from eleven Native CDFI loan funds, we offer the first systematic quantitative analysis of lending in the Native CDFI industry. As hypothesized, Native CDFIs on average give out small loans but support borrowers in varied circumstances with diverse loan products. Important predictors of delinquency include both conventional, hard information‐based, measures of client risk, and alternative, soft information‐based, community‐informed and character‐based measures. Overall, these findings lend strong support to holistic approaches for assessing client creditworthiness for Native CDFI operations. More generally, our analysis contributes new insights into the operations of an industry that plays an instrumental role in removing barriers to socioeconomic development in Native communities.

Dams and tribal land loss in the United States

Indigenous peoples in the United States have faced continued land dispossession for centuries. Through the reservation system as well as policies including forced removal and allotment, colonial settlers and later the federal government acquired over two billion acres from Native Nations. We argue that another important, yet understudied and unquantified, contributor to tribal land loss is through the construction of dams. By restricting water flow in rivers or lakes, dams submerge land under reservoirs and disrupt aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This impacts livelihoods of local communities, destroys culturally important places and resources, and displaces people from their homes and land. To quantify the amount of tribal land lost as a result of dam construction, we engage in an innovative data linkage project. We use geospatial data on the boundaries of federal Indian reservations and Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Areas (OTSAs) and overlay these data with the locations of approximately 7,900 dams in the continental US. We estimate that 139 dams have submerged over 619 000 acres of land on 56 federal reservations and that 287 dams have inundated over 511 000 acres of land on 19 OTSAs. Taken together, our lower-bound estimate is that over 1.13 million acres of tribal land have been flooded under the reservoirs of 424 dams, which amounts to an area larger than Great Smokey Mountains National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park combined. In light of recent federal legislation to address aging infrastructure in the US as well as the increasing risks to dam function and safety caused by climate change, dams that impact tribal land should be prioritized for removal. In cases where removal is not a preferred or viable option, alternatives include tribal ownership or funding for repairs and improvements.

The Occult Feminine: Ecofeminist Renderings in Fact and Fiction

Discrimination, Oppression, Exploitation are the expressions that we encounter repeatedly in the present milieu. In the patriarchal society that we live in, we witness the Macho Man subduing and exploiting Woman and Nature alike, for the gratification of his Need and Greed. Women and Nature are both creators and nurturers. The inherent feminity in a Woman is as much mirrored in Nature. It is this ethereal connection that a Woman and Nature share that Ecofeminists have seeked to establish and popularize. Ecofeminism originated from the idea that various forms of repression are interlinked, they follow the same pattern and hierarchy be it the human world or the natural world. Ecofeminists believe that until and unless Man unlearns this habit, the exploitation of women and destruction of nature won’t cease. Environmental Degradation leads to the erosion of Human Rights as well because we need a healthy environment to survive and realize our potential. Devastation of the ecology and economic iniquity go hand in hand. We have had forest land, tribal reserves being usurped by the powers that be, in the name of development and progress. There are many accounts of strife and revolt against the repressive tendencies of the state and private organizations. Women have been invariably in the forefront of such struggles, for the preservation of their own identity as well as the conservation of Nature. The human tendency to ignore the rights of other constituents that make up this natural world is the root cause of the conundrum mankind is in today. Literature, be it fiction or non-fiction mirrors life in myriad ways. This paper intends to collate Ecofeminist excerpts from literary works and real life struggles to conjure up a montage that reinforces womankind’s intimate bond with nature.