INTERVENTION STRATEGIES FOR THE TREATMENT OF ALCOHOL-ABUSERS AND ALCOHOLICS AMONG THE PAPAGO INDIANS: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are major health and social problems in the United States today particularly among certain Native American groups. The prevention and treatment of alcoholism is a major concern of public health services and Federal legislation has mandated that a comprehensive system of care, focusing on the specific needs of the population being served, be provided. This study proposed to conduct an ethnographic needs assessment of Papago Indian alcohol-abusers and alcoholics, a population for whom extensive problem drinking has been well-documented. By using methods of ethnography and needs assessment studies the following goals were sought: the documentation of the sociodemographic characteristics of Papago problem drinkers, the documentation of their drinking patterns, the documentation of the kinds of intervention strategies available to them, an exploration of the network of relationships operant among the interventions, and investigation into the Papago view and opinion of the interventions, and the establishment of Papago needs. Data was collected by examining client records, interviews with a sample population of Papago urban problem drinkers, and interviews with staff members of interventions. It was then assessed on the basis of knowledge gained through observation within the system of intervention strategies. The data revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between the Papago drinking population and the general Papago population in terms of sociodemographics. The Papago learn normative drinking behavior at an early age and excessive drinking behavior often appears during the teen years. Papago drinking styles include the acute public drunk, the periodic alcohol-abuser, the consistent alcohol-abuser, and the alcoholic; these styles are what is termed abnormal or problem drinking. Papago drinking is a social activity which reinforces social acceptance and facilitates social interaction and cohesion. There is an extensive system of intervention strategies available to Papago problem drinkers but many programs are Anglo-oriented and responsive to problems specific to Papago drinkers. This system is not extensively utilized by the Papago; and therefore, they are not receiving a comprehensive system of care. There are ways in which existing services can be redesigned and this together with the implementation of new services will provide for a comprehensive system of care targeted to the Papago. The most pressing need of the Papago is the implementation of education and prevention programs