Alcohol abuse constitutes a public health problem of immense proportions for Alaska Natives and is the highest ranked behavioral health problem in Alaska (Alaska Natives Commission; 1994). The primary goal of the People Awakening Resilience Project (PARP) is to develop a manual of culture-specific, multi-factorial, rural Alaska village-based alcohol abuse preventive interventions for Yup'ik Eskimo children ages 12 through 18 that have their theoretical basis in a heuristic model developed in previous research done with this tribal group and to pilot test them for feasibility, acceptability, and cultural compatibility. The project is the first stage of a long-term research agenda to develop a foundation for a later prevention trial to reduce underage drinking among Yup'ik Eskimo village youth.
The specific aims of the R21 application are to complete manual development for interventions based upon the heuristic model and to pilot test them for feasibility, acceptability, cultural compatibility, and fidelity. Analysis of data related to each will allow for further refinement of modules. PARP will also administer intermediate outcome measures on family and individual level variables and complete an exploratory testing of intermediate outcomes in one Yup'ik Eskimo community in Southwestern Alaska. Interventions suggested by the model will take place at the family and the individual levels. The design of the manual development utilizes a key informant methodology through group planning sessions with cultural experts. Community members will review modules that are developed with input from focus groups. A planning group consisting of 7 key informants from Village A and other villages will serve as co-researchers to develop the manual. This will insure that local context is included and engagement and collaboration are developed. Focus groups with other village members will provide feedback on the feasibility and cultural appropriateness of the modules. The manual will be tested in Village A with a sample of parents (n=16) and youth who are from these families (n=16) matched with a control of equal numbers of parents and youth who do not take part in the interventions. Exploratory analyses of the effects on intermediate outcomes will be completed to determine ways that the manualized preventive intervention affects participants.
