Summer Undergraduate Research: Part 2

Health issues of American Indians in the Northern Plains

The Summer Undergraduate Research poster session, held at the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences on Aug. 11, showcased various research projects conducted by 45 undergraduate students from UND and across the country. While the research titles were long and the topics technical, important research was presented that pertains to all North Dakotans.

Three UND psychology students spent a second consecutive summer researching health issues of American Indians of the Northern Plains with principle researcher Dr. Jacque Gray of the UND Center for Rural Health. Their individual research projects focused on the role of spirituality in mental health care, the effect of rumination on mental health, and alcohol and substance abuse. Seven tribes of the Northern Plains were examined, with data collected via survey in clinic settings.

Melissa Wheeler of Chinle, Ariz., and a member of the Navajo Nation, focused her research on the prevalence of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. Last year, she concluded that American Indians consumed more alcohol than other populations in the same geographical area. This year, she reviewed data from 600 American Indians of the Northern Plains, some of whom had been diagnosed with depression or anxiety. She found that mental illness diagnosis seemed to correlate with alcohol abuse. She also found that alcohol was one of the most popular substances abused among American Indians, particularly in the form of binge drinking. "It's more common for Americans to come home during the week and have a drink with dinner," she explained. "American Indians, on the other hand, don't drink during the week, and they binge drink on the weekends." Also, males were found to consume more alcohol than females.

Tobacco was the highest substance used by Wheeler's test group, and she noted the reason may be the traditional and historical use of tobacco among American Indians.

Marijuana and methamphetamine were the drugs most abused by American Indians in Wheeler's survey. In particular, the 18-25 age group used more marijuana, the 31-35 age group used more cocaine, and the 36-40 age group used more methamphetamine. All substance abuse tailed off after age 45. "I'd like to think it's because people got smarter at that age," Wheeler said. "But it's likely because life expectancy is lower."

Wheeler, who recently won the award for Outstanding Student Research at the American Psychological Association annual meeting, said she hoped her latest research would provide greater awareness of substance abuse on reservations. "I want to give this data back to the (American Indian) populations to start treatment and after-school programs," she said, adding that she would like to work with young kids to educate them about the consequences of substance abuse. "I saw it myself growing up," she said. "I'd like to see more prevention."

Michael Mudgett of Fort Totten, N.D., and a member of the Spirit Lake tribe, focused his research on the role rumination, or repeated contemplation, had in anxiety, depression and substance abuse of American Indians of the Northern Plains. He found rumination was more prevalent in individuals with these diagnoses, compared with a control group with no diagnosis. By identifying rumination as a possible factor in anxiety, depression and substance abuse, Mudgett said he was trying to give health care providers "more tools in their toolboxes" to help diagnose and treat such patients.

Sarita Eastman of Flagstaff, Ariz., and a member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate tribe, addressed the role spirituality plays in the mental health of American Indians of the Northern Plains. Her findings confirmed that subjects without mental health issues scored higher in spirituality than those diagnosed with depression and anxiety, perhaps indicating that spirituality could be a preventative or protective factor from developing mental illness.