Agency staff perceptions of problems related to methamphetamine and other drug use in Native American communities in the four-corners region.

In 2003, the Indian Health Service reported that methamphetamine use among Native Americans was three times higher than that of the general population. However, little is known about the use and prevalence of methamphetamine and other drug use in Native American populations within New Mexico. Telephone surveys were conducted with providers, counselors, and law enforcement personnel to assess their perceptions of drug use throughout New Mexico and the Four-Corners area. This poster reports on the preliminary findings of this ongoing study. Most respondents (67.5%) identified alcohol as the number one problem substance in their communities, followed by marijuana (17.5%), heroin (5%), and methamphetamine (5%). Most participants (86.8%) reported that methamphetamine was a mild or moderate problem; 13.2% said it was a severe problem. The degree to which participants saw methamphetamine as a problem, and the number of methamphetamine users they saw per month, were not significantly correlated with the rank assigned to methamphetamine as a problem substance. In conclusion, methamphetamine was perceived as less of a problem than other substances by most survey respondents. The findings of this survey shed light on the geographic distribution of methamphetamine problems in Indian Country and will help to focus future efforts in prevention and treatment research.

Related protocols: CTN-0033-Ot-2