Change in physical activity, food choices and hemoglobin A1c among American Indians and Alaska Natives with type 2 diabetes.

The prevalence of diabetes among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults is the highest of all United States racial/ethnic groups. Health behaviors, including regular physical activity and healthy food choices, are important components in the management of diabetes. We estimated the cross-sectional association between physical activity and healthy food scores, separately, and combined (PAHF) with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) over three years of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians-Healthy Heart demonstration project (SDPI-HH) intervention. The relationship between physical activity and food choices was also examined. Among 3,039 SDPI-HH participants at baseline, those reporting being physically active and having high healthy food scores had statistically significant lower HbA1c (mean = 7.67 ± 2.01) compared to inactive participants with low healthy food scores (7.90 ± 1.92). Among the 1,150 SDPI-HH participants who attended the three-year follow-up visit, participants who increased physical activity, consumption of healthy foods, or both had a larger decrease in HbA1c (ß = -0.29, P = 0.03) over the study period compared to participants with no improvement in physical activity or increase in consuming healthy foods. This association was statistically significant among women (ß = -0.35, P = 0.04) but not among men (ß = -0.08, P = 0.70). Our findings indicated that an increase in healthier behaviors, including physical activity and healthy food choices, was associated with a small improvement in HbA1c in the subset of women who participated in the SDPI-HH through the three-year follow up. Although the decrease in HbA1c was small, physical activity and healthy food choices are important behaviors to incorporate into everyday life among AI/AN adults, particularly those with diabetes.

The Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease and Other Comorbidities Among American Indian and Alaska Native Adults with Diabetes.

AIMS: American Indians and Alaska Native (AI/ANs) peoples experience significant health disparities compared to the U.S. general population. We report comorbidities among AI/ANs with diabetes to guide efforts to improve their health status. METHODS: Drawing upon data for over 640,000 AI/ANs who used services funded by the Indian Health Service, we identified 43,518 adults with diabetes in fiscal year 2010. We reported the prevalence of comorbidities by age and cardiovascular disease (CVD) status. Generalized linear models were estimated to describe associations between CVD and other comorbidities. RESULTS: Nearly 15% of AI/AN adults had diabetes. Hypertension, CVD and kidney disease were comorbid in 77.9%, 31.6%, and 13.3%, respectively. Nearly 25% exhibited a mental health disorder; 5.7%, an alcohol or drug use disorder. Among AI/ANs with diabetes absent CVD, 46.9% had 2 or more other chronic conditions; the percentage among adults with diabetes and CVD was 75.5%. Hypertension and tobacco use disorders were associated with a 71% (95% CI for prevalence ratio: 1.63 - 1.80) and 33% (1.28 - 1.37) higher prevalence of CVD, respectively, compared to adults without these conditions. CONCLUSION: Detailed information on the morbidity burden of AI/ANs with diabetes may inform enhancements to strategies implemented to prevent and treat CVD and other comorbidities.

The Impact of Individual and Parental American Indian Boarding School Attendance on Chronic Physical Health of Northern Plains Tribes.

This study investigated the relationship of American Indian boarding school attendance and chronic physical health. We hypothesized boarding school attendance would be associated with an increased number of chronic physical health problems. We also examined the relationship between boarding school attendance and the 15 chronic health problems that formed the count of the chronic health conditions. American Indian attendees had a greater count of chronic physical health problems compared with nonattendees. Father's attendance was independently associated with chronic physical health problems. Attendees were more likely to have tuberculosis, arthritis, diabetes, anemia, high cholesterol, gall bladder disease, and cancer than nonattendees.

Neighborhood characteristics and lifestyle intervention outcomes: Results from the Special Diabetes Program for Indians.

Growing evidence reveals various neighborhood conditions are associated with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It is unknown, however, whether the effectiveness of diabetes prevention interventions is also influenced by neighborhood characteristics. The purpose of the current study is to examine the impact of neighborhood characteristics on the outcomes of a lifestyle intervention to prevent diabetes in American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs). Year 2000 US Census Tract data were linked with those from the Special Diabetes Program for Indians Diabetes Prevention Program (SDPI-DP), an evidence-based lifestyle intervention implemented in 36 AI/AN grantee sites across the US. A total of 3394 participants started the intervention between 01/01/2006 and 07/31/2009 and were followed by 07/31/2016. In 2016-2017, data analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationships of neighborhood characteristics with intervention outcomes, controlling for individual level socioeconomic status. AI/ANs from sites located in neighborhoods with higher median household income had 38% lower risk of developing diabetes than those from sites with lower neighborhood income (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.47-0.90). Further, those from sites with higher neighborhood concentrations of AI/ANs achieved less BMI reduction and physical activity increase. Meanwhile, participants from sites with higher neighborhood level of vehicle occupancy made more improvement in BMI and diet. Lifestyle intervention effectiveness was not optimal when the intervention was implemented at sites with disadvantaged neighborhood characteristics. Meaningful improvements in socioeconomic and other neighborhood disadvantages of vulnerable populations could be important in stemming the global epidemic of diabetes.

The Association of Panic Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Major Depression With Smoking in American Indians.

INTRODUCTION: Rates of cigarette smoking are disproportionately high among American Indian populations, although regional differences exist in smoking prevalence. Previous research has noted that anxiety and depression are associated with higher rates of cigarette use. We asked whether lifetime panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and major depression were related to lifetime cigarette smoking in two geographically distinct American Indian tribes. METHODS: Data were collected in 1997-1999 from 1506 Northern Plains and 1268 Southwest tribal members; data were analyzed in 2009. Regression analyses examined the association between lifetime anxiety and depressive disorders and odds of lifetime smoking status after controlling for sociodemographic variables and alcohol use disorders. Institutional and tribal approvals were obtained for all study procedures, and all participants provided informed consent. RESULTS: Odds of smoking were two times higher in Southwest participants with panic disorder and major depression, and 1.7 times higher in those with posttraumatic stress disorder, after controlling for sociodemographic variables. After accounting for alcohol use disorders, only major depression remained significantly associated with smoking. In the Northern Plains, psychiatric disorders were not associated with smoking. Increasing psychiatric comorbidity was significantly linked to increased smoking odds in both tribes, especially in the Southwest. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to examine the association between psychiatric conditions and lifetime smoking in two large, geographically diverse community samples of American Indians. While the direction of the relationship between nicotine use and psychiatric disorders cannot be determined, understanding unique social, environmental, and cultural differences that contribute to the tobacco-psychiatric disorder relationship may help guide tribe-specific commercial tobacco control strategies.

Changes in Food Choices of Participants in the Special Diabetes Program for Indians-Diabetes Prevention Demonstration Project, 2006-2010.

INTRODUCTION: American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) have a disproportionately high rate of type 2 diabetes. Changing food choices plays a key role in preventing diabetes. This study documented changes in the food choices of AI/ANs with diagnosed prediabetes who participated in a diabetes prevention program. METHODS: The Special Diabetes Program for Indians-Diabetes Prevention Demonstration Project implemented the evidence-based Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle intervention in 36 health care programs nationwide, engaging 80 AI/AN communities. At baseline, at 30 days post-curriculum, and at the first annual assessment, participants completed a sociodemographic survey and 27-item food frequency questionnaire and underwent a medical examination assessing fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), low-density lipoprotein [LDL], high-density lipoprotein [HDL], and triglycerides. Multiple linear regressions were used to assess the relationship between temporal changes in food choice and other diabetes risk factors. RESULTS: From January 2006 to July 2010, baseline, post-curriculum, and first annual assessments were completed by 3,135 (100%), 2,046 (65%), and 1,480 (47%) participants, respectively. An increase in healthy food choices was associated initially with reduced bodyweight, BMI, FBG, and LDL and increased physical activity. At first annual assessment, the associations persisted between healthy food choices and bodyweight, BMI, and physical activity. CONCLUSION: AI/AN adults from various tribal and urban communities participating in this preventive intervention made sustained changes in food choices and had reductions in diabetes risk factors. The outcomes demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of translating the DPP lifestyle intervention to community-based settings.

Guideline concordant detection and management of depression among Alaska Native and American Indian people in primary care.

BACKGROUND: A tribal health organization in Alaska implemented a primary care depression screening, detection and management initiative amongst 55,000 Alaska Native/American Indian people (AN/AIs). OBJECTIVES: (a) To describe the proportion of AN/AIs screening positive for depression with depression noted or diagnosed and proportion with guideline concordant management and (b) to assess whether management varied by patient and provider factors. RESEARCH DESIGN: Secondary analysis of electronic and paper medical record information of 400 AN/AIs. MEASURES: Provider variables, patient demographics and patient clinical factors were electronically queried. Manual chart audits assessed depression notation, diagnoses and management within 12 weeks of positive screening. Multilevel ordinal logistic modelling assessed management by patient and provider factors. RESULTS: A depression diagnosis was present in 141 (35%) charts and 151 (38%) had depressive symptoms noted. Detection was higher among AN/AIs with moderate and severe depression (p<0.001). In total, 258 patients (66%) received guideline concordant management, 32 (8%) had some management, and 110 (28%) received no management. Younger patient age and increased provider tenure increased odds of management. CONCLUSIONS: Most AN/AIs screening positive for depression received initial guideline concordant management. Additional outreach to older patients and additional support for providers newer to practices appears warranted.

Case management to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in American Indians and Alaska Natives with diabetes: results from the Special Diabetes Program for Indians Healthy Heart Demonstration Project.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) with diabetes in the Special Diabetes Program for Indians Healthy Heart (SDPI-HH) Demonstration Project. METHODS: Multidisciplinary teams implemented an intensive case management intervention among 30 health care programs serving 138 tribes. The project recruited 3373 participants, with and without current CVD, between 2006 and 2009. We examined data collected at baseline and 1 year later to determine whether improvements occurred in CVD risk factors and in Framingham coronary heart disease (CHD) risk scores, aspirin use, and smoking status. RESULTS: A1c levels decreased an average of 0.2% (P < .001). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglyceride levels decreased, with the largest significant reduction in LDL cholesterol (∆ = -5.29 mg/dL; P < .001). Average Framingham CHD risk scores also decreased significantly. Aspirin therapy increased significantly, and smoking decreased. Participants with more case management visits had significantly greater reductions in LDL cholesterol and A1c values. CONCLUSIONS: SDPI-HH successfully translated an intensive case management intervention. Creative retention strategies and an improved understanding of organizational challenges are needed for future Indian health translational efforts.

Sensation-seeking predicts initiation of daily smoking behavior among American Indian high school students.

PURPOSE: American Indian (AI) youth have a high risk of smoking initiation. Sensation-seeking, defined as the tendency to seek novel and thrilling experiences, has been associated with smoking initiation in other groups but has never been examined in AI youth. METHODS: Data were from the Voices of Indian Teens Project (VOICES), a longitudinal study of AI youth from seven high schools in four AI communities in the western United States. Participants completed annual surveys in school over a three-year period. Our sample comprised 764 students who were non-smokers at baseline. Smoking initiation was defined as endorsement of daily smoking after baseline. We used binary logistic regression to evaluate the association of baseline sensation-seeking with odds of daily smoking initiation, stratified by gender. RESULTS: Participants were 353 males and 411 females aged 13 to 21years at baseline. After adjusting for covariates, baseline sensation-seeking correlated with smoking initiation differently in males and females. Sensation-seeking did not predict daily smoking in males. Among females, however, higher sensation-seeking scores at baseline predicted daily smoking in both the unadjusted (odds ratio=1.4; 95% CI=1.1-1.8; p=0.005) and covariate-adjusted (odds ratio=1.3; 95% CI=1.0-1.6; p=0.04) models. CONCLUSION: Gender-specific prevention programs may be warranted in addressing different risk-factor profiles in this high-risk population.

Latent class analysis of stages of change for multiple health behaviors: results from the Special Diabetes Program for Indians Diabetes Prevention Program.

This study sought to identify latent subgroups among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) patients with pre-diabetes based on their stages of change for multiple health behaviors. We analyzed baseline data from participants of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians Diabetes Prevention (SDPI-DP) Program, a lifestyle intervention program to prevent diabetes among AI/ANs. A total of 3,135 participants completed baseline questionnaires assessing stages of change for multiple health behaviors, specifically exercise, healthy eating, and weight loss. Latent class analysis was used to identify subgroups of people based on their answers to stages of change questions. Covariates were added to the latent class analyses to investigate how class membership was related to sociodemographic, behavioral, and psychosocial factors. Three classes were identified based on the distributions of the stages of change variables: Contemplation, Preparation, and Action/Maintenance classes. Male and retired participants were more likely to be in more advanced stages. Those who exercised more, ate healthier diets, and weighed less were significantly more likely to be in the Action/Maintenance class. Further, the participants who had higher self-efficacy, stronger family support, and better health-related quality of life had higher odds of being in the Action/Maintenance class. In conclusion, we found that stages of change for multiple behaviors can be summarized by a three-class model in this sample. Investigating the relationships between latent classes and intervention outcomes represents important next steps to extend the findings of the current study.

Smokeless tobacco use and its relation to panic disorder, major depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder in American Indians.

INTRODUCTION: Rates of nicotine use are high in American Indians. Anxiety and depression tend to be associated with cigarette use, but the association of anxiety and depression with smokeless tobacco (ST) is less clear. We asked if panic disorder, major depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are related to lifetime ST use in 2 American Indian tribes. METHODS: Logistic regression analyses examined the association between lifetime panic disorder, major depression, and PTSD and the odds of lifetime ST use status after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, smoking status, and alcohol use disorders in 1,506 Northern Plains and 1,268 Southwest tribal members. RESULTS: Odds of lifetime ST use was 1.6 times higher in Northern Plains tribal members with a lifetime history of PTSD after controlling for sociodemographic variables and smoking (95% CI: 1.1, 2.3; p = .01). This association remained significant after further adjustment for panic disorder and major depression (odds ratio [OR] = 1.5; 95% CI: 1.0, 2.2; p = .04) but was diminished after accounting for alcohol use (OR = 1.3; 95% CI: 0.9, 1.9; p = .23). In the Southwest, lifetime psychiatric disorders were not associated with lifetime ST use status. Increasing psychiatric comorbidity was significantly linked to increased odds of ST use in both tribes. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to examine psychiatric conditions and lifetime ST use in a large, geographically diverse American Indian community sample. Although approximately 30% of tribal members were lifetime users of ST, the association with lifetime psychiatric disorders was not as strong as those observed with cigarette smoking. Understanding shared mechanisms between all forms of tobacco use with anxiety and depressive disorders remains an important area for investigation.

Special diabetes program for Indians: retention in cardiovascular risk reduction.

PURPOSE: This study examined the associations between participant and site characteristics and retention in a multisite cardiovascular disease risk reduction project. DESIGN AND METHODS: Data were derived from the Special Diabetes Program for Indians Healthy Heart Demonstration Project, an intervention to reduce cardiovascular risk among American Indians and Alaska Natives with diabetes. In 2006, a total of 1,072 participants from 30 participating sites completed baseline questionnaires measuring demographics and sociobehavioral factors. They also underwent a medical examination at baseline and were reassessed annually after baseline. A Provider Annual Questionnaire was administered to staff members of each grantee site at the end of each year to assess site characteristics. Generalized estimating equation models were used to evaluate the relationships between participant and site characteristics and retention 1 year after baseline. RESULTS: Among enrolled participants, 792 (74%) completed their first annual assessment. Participants who completed the first annual assessment tended to be older and had, at baseline, higher body mass index and higher level of physical activity. Site characteristics associated with retention included average age of staff, proportion of female staff members, and percentage of staff members having completed graduate or professional school. IMPLICATIONS: Understanding successful retention must reach beyond individual characteristics of participants to include features of the settings that house the interventions.

The relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and lung disorders in Northern Plains and Southwest American Indians.

OBJECTIVE: Research within the past decade has suggested that mental disorders are associated with lung disorders. This study compared the association of lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and lifetime major depression with lung disorders in two American Indian (AI) tribal communities. DESIGN: A total of 2622 tribal members (1414 in the Northern Plains and 1208 in the Southwest) aged 18-57 years completed an interview assessing psychiatric diagnoses and physical health, including lung disorders. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate odds ratios for the association of PTSD and major depression with lung disorders. RESULTS: The prevalence of lung disorders was 17% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 15, 19) in the Northern Plains and 13% (95% CI: 11, 15) in the Southwest. In the Northern Plains, men with lung disorders had a higher prevalence of PTSD and major depression than men without lung disorders, and women with lung disorders had a higher prevalence of major depression than women without lung disorders. Neither PTSD nor major depression was associated with lung disorders in men or women living in the Southwest. In the Northern Plains, major depression remained significantly associated with lung disorders in both men (OR=3.1, 95% CI: 1.5, 6.4) and women (OR=2.2, 95% CI: 1.2, 4.1) even after adjusting for age, education, smoking, alcohol abuse, and PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: Depression, but not PTSD, was associated with lung disorders in AIs living in the Northern Plains. Differences between the Northern Plains and the Southwest underscore the importance of recognizing unique characteristics of tribes and tribal communities. The increasing prevalence of lung disorders in AIs heightens the need for further work to help explain social, cultural, and clinical determinants of these disorders and their associations to PTSD and depression, and ultimately to help provide more effective clinical treatment and preventive care.

Relation between the level of American Indian and Alaska Native diabetes education program services and quality-of-care indicators.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the relation between the level of diabetes education program services in the Indian Health Service (IHS) and indicators of the quality of diabetes care to determine if more-comprehensive diabetes services were associated with better quality of diabetes care. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we used the IHS Integrated Diabetes Education Recognition Program to rank program services into 1 of 3 levels of comprehensiveness, ranging from lowest (developmental) to highest (integrated). We compared quality-of-care indicators among programs of differing levels with the 2001 IHS Diabetes Care and Outcomes Audit. Quality indicators included patients having recommended yearly examinations, education, and laboratory tests and achieving recommended levels of intermediate outcomes of care. RESULTS: Most of the 86 participating programs were classified at or below the developmental level; only 9 programs (11%) were ranked at higher levels. After adjusting for patient characteristics, program factors, and correlation of patients within programs, we associated programs that were more comprehensive with higher completion rates of yearly lipid and hemoglobin A1C tests (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: System-wide improvements in diabetes education are associated with better diabetes care. The results can help inform the development of diabetes education programs.

Marijuana initiation in 2 American Indian reservation communities: comparison with a national sample.

OBJECTIVES: We examined disparities in age-related patterns of marijuana initiation in 2 culturally distinct American Indian reservation communities (from the Northern Plains and the Southwest) compared with a national sample. METHODS: We used discrete-time survival models to estimate age-related risk for initiation with data from 2 population-based studies: the American Indian Service Utilization, Psychiatric Epidemiology, Risk and Protective Factors Project and the baseline National Comorbidity Survey. RESULTS: Among respondents who were born before 1960, peak risk for marijuana initiation in all samples was at age 18 years, and risk was greatest in the national sample. Among those who were born later than 1960, risk peaked at age 16 years and was highest in the American Indian samples. Males were at increased risk compared with females, especially in the older cohort and the Southwest tribal sample. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of disproportionate risk for marijuana initiation among younger members of the tribal samples raise concerns that American Indian reservation youths may be increasingly vulnerable to drug use and its concomitants, which suggests a need for more aggressive prevention efforts in these communities.

Suboptimal pharmacotherapy in a tribal nursing home.

OBJECTIVE: Suboptimal medication use among nursing home (NH) residents is common. NH residents tend to be older, suffer from multiple conditions, and take numerous medications, increasing their risk of serious complications. This article examines pharmacotherapy in a rural, tribally owned NH. DESIGN: Medical records were reviewed and case studies were conducted by a team composed of a medical anthropologist, psychiatrist, and geriatrician. SETTING: A rural, American Indian-owned NH in the US northern plains. PARTICIPANTS: 40 American Indian and 5 EuroAmerican NH residents. MEASUREMENTS: Minimum Data Set assessments, admission records, care plans, social histories, prescription lists, and behavioral consultation reports. RESULTS: Potential underuse affected almost 75% of residents; undertreatment of depressive and psychotic/agitated symptoms was especially common. Potential inappropriate use, especially of analgesics, psychotropics, and antihistamines, affected 30% of residents. A smaller, but still substantial, number of residents (21%) experienced potential overuse, much of which involved anticonvulsants, antibiotics, cardiovascular, and psychotropic agents. The prescription of 10 or more medications was significantly associated with potential drug interactions, as well as underuse, inappropriate medication use, and overuse. CONCLUSIONS: Psychotropic medications were the most potentially problematic medication category, and were strongly implicated in potential underuse, inappropriate use, and overuse. Fewer medications; the discontinuation of drugs known to be potentially problematic for NH residents; modification of psychotropic medication regimens; use of cognitive-enhancing medications where appropriate; implementation of an electronic medical record system; and greater use of nonpharmacological behavioral interventions may have substantially improved residents' treatment regimens.

Help seeking for substance use problems in two American Indian reservation populations.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the extent and types of help seeking (biomedical, traditional, and 12-step groups) for substance use problems in two American Indian reservation populations by using data from the American Indian Service Utilization, Psychiatric Epidemiology, Risk, and Protective Factors Project (AI-SUPERPFP). This study also sought to understand the correlates of such help seeking, including measures of need, demographic characteristics, spirituality, and ethnic identity. METHODS: AI-SUPERPFP, completed between 1997 and 2000, was a cross-sectional probability sample survey. Altogether 2,825 tribal members, aged 18 to 54 years, representing two tribal groups living on or near their home reservations, were randomly sampled from the tribal rolls. Response rates averaged 75.3 percent. The primary outcome measure was help seeking in the past year for substance use problems, which was further divided into help seeking from biomedical services, traditional healing sources, and 12-step programs. RESULTS: Help-seeking rates were high, with 13 percent of the population and 38 percent of those with diagnoses of substance use disorders in the past year having sought services for alcohol or drug problems in the preceding 12 months. Correlates of help seeking included variables related to need for services (substance use disorders, tobacco use, and mental and physical health problems), marital status, and spirituality. Slightly more than half of service users sought help from formal biomedical providers; use of traditional healing and 12-step programs was also common. Need and spirituality variables best differentiated among the users of the three modalities. CONCLUSIONS: Help seeking for alcohol and drug problems was common in these communities, with traditional healing and 12-step resources as essential components of the local service ecologies.

The relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and cardiovascular disease in an American Indian tribe.

BACKGROUND: Empirical findings suggest that psychiatric illness is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this study was to compare the strength of the association of lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and lifetime major depression on CVD among Northern Plains American Indians. METHOD: A total of 1414 participants aged 18-57 years completed a structured interview that assessed psychiatric diagnoses, alcohol abuse/dependence, self-reported CVD, and traditional CVD risk factors including age, sex, education, diabetes, high blood pressure, and smoking. Logistic regression analyses compared the odds ratios of CVD in participants with and without diagnosed PTSD or major depression. RESULTS: The rates of lifetime PTSD and major depression were 15% and 8% respectively. CVD was more commonly reported by participants with PTSD than by those without PTSD (12% v. 5%, p