title: Native American women in alcohol and substance abuse treatment.
abstract: Alcohol and other drug use is a serious problem among American Indian and Alaska Native women. However, information about their needs for treatment is lacking. In response, a study was conducted to document the life experiences and perceived recovery needs of American Indian and Alaska Native women at nine treatment centers nationwide. The data show that most of these women have experienced various forms of abuse and neglect from childhood into adulthood and have been exposed to alcohol and other drugs from an early point in their lives. Most of these women have made multiple attempts to recover from their addictions, often for the sake of their children. The information derived from this study can be used as the foundation for further research about the treatment needs of American Indian and Alaska Native women.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Gale
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berkowitz
authors.forename: Courtney Uhler
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Cart
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brindis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology