1
|
Wakhlu N, Soto C, Duncan M, Titman A, Turner BJ. Wellness Tour for Tribal Communities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Uniting Sacred Space with Western Medicine to Prevent Substance Use. J Community Health 2024; 49:248-256. [PMID: 37848654 PMCID: PMC10924718 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-023-01295-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Substance use disorders (SUD) and overdose deaths worsened further during the Covid-19 pandemic in American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities. The Native Dad's Network (NDN) delivered the Wellness Tour, offering cultural activities and SUD prevention education, from March 2021 to June 2022, to 11 AIAN tribal communities across California. The in-person program created a "sacred space" through culturally congruent song, dance, and prayer. SUD education included: a lecture about opioids and SUD; group talking circles; an educational skit led by adolescents; and training in naloxone and fentanyl testing strip use along with supplies. After the day-long program, 341 participants agreed strongly on a 5-point Likert type question that it improved their quality of life (mean = 4.7). Among 243 respondents, agreement was strong (mean = 4.8) to two Likert-type questions about cultural relevance and confidence in using naloxone. This AIAN-led program adopted safe practices during the pandemic to deliver culturally congruent SUD prevention education to severely affected AIAN communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nausheen Wakhlu
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, 2020 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, United States of America
| | - Claradina Soto
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, 2020 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, United States of America
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2001 North Soto Street, Los Angeles, 90032, United States of America
| | - Mike Duncan
- California Consortium for Urban Indian Health, 1016 Lincoln Blvd #111, San Francisco, CA, 94129, United States of America
| | - Albert Titman
- California Consortium for Urban Indian Health, 1016 Lincoln Blvd #111, San Francisco, CA, 94129, United States of America
| | - Barbara J Turner
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, 2020 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, United States of America.
- Gehr Center for Health Systems Science, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, 2020 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, United States of America.
| |
Collapse
|