Alcoholism History in Native Americans
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Native Americans were first introduced to alcohol by the European settlers and traders. Alcohol was often traded for Native American goods, and possibly used to relax the Native Americans in order to receive a better trade. The newness of the substance had a great influence on the Native American culture. But over the years, research has shown that alcohol’s effects on this culture are also due to genetics. There are many sterotyes and discrimination toward Native American's. The "Drunken Indian" started in the late 1950's as their problem with alcohol grew larger and reached many different reservations. As the years went on, the Native American culture's skills decreased as technnology improved. Hence, depression for no jobs and poverty result in severe alcholism from people as old as 90 to as young as 9.
Alcoholism in their Community
*Geographically, Native Americans from the Northern Plains suffer from the highest rate of alcohol-related deaths. The area is destitute and rural. Since alcohol is an integral part of the tribal culture -combined with a lack of alternative ways in which to spend time and invest energy -the result is a culmination of an alcohol-driven disaster. Whether or not the spike in alcohol-related deaths is induced by the perception around alcohol, or a byproduct of the environment, remains to be seen.
*11.7 percent of deaths among Native Americans and Alaska Natives between 2001 and 2005 were alcohol-related, compared with 3.3 percent for the U.S. as a whole.
*The two leading causes of alcohol-related deaths among Indians were traffic accidents and alcoholic liver disease, each of which cause more than a quarter of the 1,514 alcohol-related deaths over the four-year period.
*Also listed are homicide (6.6 percent of alcohol-related deaths), suicide (5.2 percent) and injuries in falls (2.2 percent).
*Alcohol abuse also harms the youngest American Indians and Alaska Natives. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a problem for American Indians and Alaska Natives. Babies whose mothers drank alcohol while pregnant can be born with FAS. FAS can cause lifelong problems with learning, memory, attention span, communication, vision, and hearing.
*American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest rates of binge drinking, although this problem is more common among men than women. American Indians and Alaska Natives also have high rates of drunk driving and alcohol-related fatal crashes.
*11.7 percent of deaths among Native Americans and Alaska Natives between 2001 and 2005 were alcohol-related, compared with 3.3 percent for the U.S. as a whole.
*The two leading causes of alcohol-related deaths among Indians were traffic accidents and alcoholic liver disease, each of which cause more than a quarter of the 1,514 alcohol-related deaths over the four-year period.
*Also listed are homicide (6.6 percent of alcohol-related deaths), suicide (5.2 percent) and injuries in falls (2.2 percent).
*Alcohol abuse also harms the youngest American Indians and Alaska Natives. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a problem for American Indians and Alaska Natives. Babies whose mothers drank alcohol while pregnant can be born with FAS. FAS can cause lifelong problems with learning, memory, attention span, communication, vision, and hearing.
*American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest rates of binge drinking, although this problem is more common among men than women. American Indians and Alaska Natives also have high rates of drunk driving and alcohol-related fatal crashes.
Reducing alcoholism in Native American communities
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According to MSNBC’s article on the subject, experts recommend “culturally appropriate clinical interventions” to reducing excessive drinking and better integration between tribal health care centers and tribal courts, which often deal with alcohol-related crimes. Donovan Antelope, a spokesman for the Northern Arapaho Tribe, said alcoholism has been a problem for more than a century with many Indian populations. If we take away one positive thing from this research, let it be the increased awareness that alcoholism is a disease with a genetic component. A predisposition toward alcoholism is passed down from generation to generation within Native American tribes, just as alcoholism can be passed down among Caucasians living in the Northeast. It is a disease that does not discriminate. It is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Let the Native Americans remind us that genetic research on alcoholism is important, and could lead to helpful innovations from which all ethnicities can benefit. The Indian Health Services is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services which helps provide health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives, including alcoholism treatment. Although information about alcohol abuse and prevalence is quite difficult to find on their website, the IHS does have a summary of health disparities and mortality statistics for alcohol induced deaths, based on the most recent U.S. census.