American Indians statistically suffer disproportionately from alcohol abuse compared with other racial groups in the United States. The factors that influence alcoholism among Native populations are still widely unknown, causing great health disparities in their people. To get an accurate perspective on alcohol use among Native Americans, examining different variants such as genetic and environmental factors would help determine if and why American Indians are predisposed to alcoholism. Recent research using linkage analysis has found that some Natives lack protective genetic variants. Other data illustrates the importance of socio-cultural and environmental perceptions on alcohol abuse. The relationship of genetic and environmental influences
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The unique history and worldview of Native Americans means that, often, risk factors operate differently from the way they do in other majority populations. One group of researchers from the University of California, Berkeley stated that “alcohol abuse has strong historical and cultural roots in this (Native) population” (Brown University, 2000). There are sociocultural and environmental factors that affect their people. The high prevalence of alcohol misuse among American Indians must be understood in light of their unique past, which has caused trauma and exposure to many risk factors for substance abuse. Many of these risks have been identified and studied in the general U.S. population; however, only few have been examined among Natives. In a recent study by Friese, Grube, and Seninger (2015), they examined the role of perceived environments and traumas among Native American and Caucasian youths. Results showed that Native American youths were significantly more likely than White youths to drink excessively. Individuals’ perceptions of their social and physical environment played an important role in the differences in drinking behavior. This study presents data to support an association between alcohol dependence and factors such as personal trauma and lack of basic needs (loving family, proper education, health care, and housing) among Native youths. The effect of historical trauma suffered by Indigenous peoples, and their forced disconnection from heritage is still felt
The unique history and worldview of Native Americans means that, often, risk factors operate differently from the way they do in other majority populations. One group of researchers from the University of California, Berkeley stated that “alcohol abuse has strong historical and cultural roots in this (Native) population” (Brown University, 2000). There are sociocultural and environmental factors that affect their people. The high prevalence of alcohol misuse among American Indians must be understood in light of their unique past, which has caused trauma and exposure to many risk factors for substance abuse. Many of these risks have been identified and studied in the general U.S. population; however, only few have been examined among Natives. In a recent study by Friese, Grube, and Seninger (2015), they examined the role of perceived environments and traumas among Native American and Caucasian youths. Results showed that Native American youths were significantly more likely than White youths to drink excessively. Individuals’ perceptions of their social and physical environment played an important role in the differences in drinking behavior. This study presents data to support an association between alcohol dependence and factors such as personal trauma and lack of basic needs (loving family, proper education, health care, and housing) among Native youths. The effect of historical trauma suffered by Indigenous peoples, and their forced disconnection from heritage is still felt