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Description:
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The detrimental effects of alcohol misuse and dependence are well documented across all ethnicities . In particular , it is an important public health issue among Native Americans with their rates of preventable deaths (in large part alcohol related ) at 133 % higher than their European American counterparts . One of the problems of current addiction models is that they historically have been developed based on a predominantly white American male sample . Programs approach Native Americans’ alcohol abuse as the same as other ethnic groups , forgetting important cultural and historical factors unique to this population . I examined the correlates of alcoholism in this targeted population and addressed whether there are relevant cultural factors specific to this population . I then located and described select existing programs currently used for treatment of alcohol abuse . I compared the current treatment strategies and identified characteristics of the programs that may be most effective . |