title: A culturally adapted drug and alcohol abuse prevention program for aboriginal children and youth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In response to substance abuse within their community, the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation invited the University of Alberta (UofA) to partner in a collaborative effort to establish a school-based substance abuse prevention program.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  An evidence-based substance abuse prevention program was reviewed and adapted by the community to ensure that it incorporated their cultural beliefs, values, language, and visual images. The adapted program was delivered to students at Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation School and changes in student participants' knowledge, attitudes, refusal skills, and self-beliefs were measured. Benefits and challenges of adapting the program were documented.
  
  
  METHODS
  The principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR) and the Canadian Institute for Health Research, Guidelines for Research Involving Aboriginal People, provided a frame of reference for the work throughout the research process. A pre-/posttest questionnaire was used to measure changes in student participants' drug and alcohol refusal skills, self-beliefs, and knowledge of the negative effects of drug and alcohol use. Focus groups (FGs) documented community members' experiences of and responses to the program adaptations and delivery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results included (1) positive changes in students' drug and alcohol refusal skills, self-beliefs, and knowledge of the negative effects of drug and alcohol use, (2) ownership of and investment in the program by the community, (3) teaching approaches that correspond with the learning contexts, worldview, and relationships of the community, and (4) participation of community Elders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quantitative and qualitative measures provide evidence for the importance, benefits, and challenges of employing a culturally adapted evidence-based substance abuse prevention program with Aboriginal students attending a First Nations school.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Lola T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Baydala
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sewlal
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alexis
authors.forename: Fay
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Letendre
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Odishaw
authors.forename: Merle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kootenay
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000416:Alberta; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D019058:Community Networks; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D036301:Qualitative Research; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires