Prevention of alcohol misuse: a review of health promotion efforts among American Indians.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of a wide range of potentially useful strategies to address the prevention of alcohol misuse among American Indians. This broad approach to the review is useful because the extreme heterogeneity of the American Indian population requires that health promotion professionals explore many options and tailor their activities to specific communities.


METHODS
A literature search was initiated through MEDLINE using the following key words: prevention, alcohol, substance abuse, American Indian, and Native American. The search yielded 29 articles from the years 1982 through 1994. These articles, along with 45 previously identified in three overview articles, form the basis of the review and discussion in this paper.


RESULTS
As a group, American Indians experience many health problems that are related to alcohol misuse. Comparison of Indians to non-Indians shows that the age of first involvement with alcohol is younger, the frequency and amount of drinking is greater, and negative consequences are more common. Health promotion programs that address these issues must take into account American Indian heterogeneity and should use a comprehensive approach that addresses both heavy drinking and the sequelae of problems related to alcohol misuse.


CONCLUSIONS
Important concepts for providing health promotion services to this population are: cultural relevance must be carefully planned and monitored; individuals in the local community must be involved; the drunken Indian stereotype must be addressed; and community empowerment should be an important goal.
May
P A
PA
Department of Sociology and Psychiatry, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 87131, USA.
Moran
J R
JR
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D003256:Community Participation; D003469:Culture; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D014481:United States