Cultural Identity Among Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Youth: Implications for Alcohol and Drug Use.

ABSTRACT: American Indian / Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth exhibit high rates of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, which is often linked to the social and cultural upheaval experienced by AI/ANs during the colonization of North America. Urban AI/AN youth may face unique challenges, including increased acculturative stress due to lower concentrations of AI/AN populations in urban areas. Few existing studies have explored cultural identity among urban AI/AN youth and its association with AOD use. This study used systematic qualitative methods with AI/AN communities in two urban areas within California to shed light on how urban AI/AN youth construct cultural identity and how this relates to AOD use and risk behaviors. We conducted 10 focus groups with a total of 70 youth, parents, providers, and Communit

SUBMITTER: Brown RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5030149 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature