Promoting Culture as a Protective Factor among AI/AN Youth in Klamath County
Datum
2023-03-24
Autor:innen
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University of Oregon
Zusammenfassung
Youth suicide continues to be a growing public health tragedy in the United States. In particular, AI/AN youth are at disproportionate risk for suicide. The present study takes place in Klamath County, Oregon where the suicide rate is more than triple the national average. To address the issue of AI/AN youth suicide in Klamath County, a research-practice partnership (RPP) between the University of Oregon Suicide Prevention Lab and the Klamath Tribal Youth and Family Guidance Center Prevention Department was established. The aim of the RPP was to better understand the various protective factors that can be harnessed as part of youth suicide prevention initiatives in Klamath County. As part of a larger research agenda, the RPP hosted a tribal youth Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) to promote culture as a protective factor. In particular, the RPP aimed to better understand the role of culture as a protective factor by examining data collected at a youth GONA. For the present study, the research element consists of the secondary analysis of two existing datasets: The Klamath Cultural Connectedness Survey- Female Youth GONA and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Pre/Post survey. The study sample was comprised of 10 AI/AN females, aged 12-18 who lived in Klamath County. The results of the analysis provide initial support that the youth GONA successfully blended Western and Indigenous ways of knowing, serving as a potentially effective youth suicide prevention initiative for the Klamath Tribes. Further, participants’ cultural connectedness increased after attending the GONA. The present study also provided initial evidence that QPR, which was nested within the GONA, was feasible, acceptable, and was associated with an increase in participants’ knowledge and self-efficacy about suicide prevention and intervention.
Beschreibung
Schlagwörter
American Indian/Alaska Native, Cultural Connectedness, Gathering of Native Americans, Klamath Tribes, Oregon, Suicide Prevention