Social Epidemiology of Trauma Among 2 American Indian Reservation Populations
Spero M. Manson, PhD,
Janette Beals, PhD,
Suzell A. Klein, MA,
Calvin D. Croy, PhD and
the AI-SUPERPFP Team
Spero M. Manson, Janette Beals, and Calvin D. Croy are with the American Indian and Alaska Native Programs, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora. Suzell A. Klein is with the Clinical Trials Network, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver.
Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Spero M. Manson, PhD, American Indian and Alaska Native Programs, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Nighthorse Campbell Native Health Bldg, Room 322, PO Box 6508, Mail Stop F800, Aurora, CO 80045-0508 (e-mail: spero.manson{at}uchsc.edu).
Objectives. We examined the prevalence of trauma in 2 largeAmerican Indian communities in an attempt to describe demographiccorrelates and to compare findings with a representative sampleof the US population.
Methods. We determined differences in exposure to each of 16types of trauma among 3084 tribal members aged 15 to 57 yearsthrough structured interviews. We compared prevalence ratesof trauma, by gender, across the 2 tribes and with a sampleof the US general population. We used logistic regression analysesto examine the relationships of demographic correlates to traumaexposure.
Results. Lifetime exposure rates to at least 1 trauma (62.4%67.2%among male participants, 66.2%69.8% among female participants)fell at the upper limits of the range reported by other researchers.Unlike the US general population, female and male American Indiansexhibited equivalent levels of overall trauma exposure. Membersof both tribes more often witnessed traumatic events, experiencedtraumas to loved ones, and were victims of physical attacksthan their counterparts in the overall US population.
Conclusions. American Indians live in adverse environments thatplace them at high risk for exposure to trauma and harmful healthsequelae.
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