Traditional living and cultural ways as protective factors against suicide: perceptions of Alaska Native university students
Introduction. Native peoples living in Alaska have one of the highest rates of suicide in the world. This represents a significant health disparity for indigenous populations living in Alaska. This research was part of a larger study that explored qualitatively the perceptions of Alaska Native unive...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:a02c0f7e060f4955b2663576504d2a84 2023-05-15T15:12:54+02:00 Traditional living and cultural ways as protective factors against suicide: perceptions of Alaska Native university students Christopher R. DeCou Monica C. Skewes Ellen D. S. López 2013-08-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.20968 https://doaj.org/article/a02c0f7e060f4955b2663576504d2a84 EN eng Taylor & Francis Group http://www.circumpolarhealthjournal.net/index.php/ijch/article/download/20968/pdf_1 https://doaj.org/toc/2242-3982 doi:10.3402/ijch.v72i0.20968 2242-3982 https://doaj.org/article/a02c0f7e060f4955b2663576504d2a84 International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Vol 72, Iss 0, Pp 1-5 (2013) Alaska Native cultural ways protective factors suicide qualitative interviews Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 article 2013 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.20968 2022-12-31T00:03:50Z Introduction. Native peoples living in Alaska have one of the highest rates of suicide in the world. This represents a significant health disparity for indigenous populations living in Alaska. This research was part of a larger study that explored qualitatively the perceptions of Alaska Native university students from rural communities regarding suicide. This analysis explored the resilience that arose from participants’ experiences of traditional ways, including subsistence activities. Previous research has indicated the importance of traditional ways in preventing suicide and strengthening communities. Method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 university students who had migrated to Fairbanks, Alaska, from rural Alaskan communities. An interview protocol was developed in collaboration with cultural and community advisors. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Participants were asked specific questions concerning the strengthening of traditional practices towards the prevention of suicide. Transcripts were analysed using the techniques of grounded theory. Findings. Participants identified several resilience factors against suicide, including traditional practices and subsistence activities, meaningful community involvement and an active lifestyle. Traditional practices and subsistence activities were perceived to create the context for important relationships, promote healthy living to prevent suicide, contrast with current challenges and transmit important cultural values. Participants considered the strengthening of these traditional ways as important in suicide prevention efforts. However, subsistence and traditional practices were viewed as a diminishing aspect of daily living in rural Alaska. Conclusions. Many college students from rural Alaska have been affected by suicide but are strong enough to cope with such tragic events. Subsistence living and traditional practices were perceived as important social and cultural processes with meaningful lifelong benefits for ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Circumpolar Health International Journal of Circumpolar Health Alaska Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Fairbanks International Journal of Circumpolar Health 72 1 20968 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Alaska Native cultural ways protective factors suicide qualitative interviews Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 |
spellingShingle |
Alaska Native cultural ways protective factors suicide qualitative interviews Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Christopher R. DeCou Monica C. Skewes Ellen D. S. López Traditional living and cultural ways as protective factors against suicide: perceptions of Alaska Native university students |
topic_facet |
Alaska Native cultural ways protective factors suicide qualitative interviews Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 |
description |
Introduction. Native peoples living in Alaska have one of the highest rates of suicide in the world. This represents a significant health disparity for indigenous populations living in Alaska. This research was part of a larger study that explored qualitatively the perceptions of Alaska Native university students from rural communities regarding suicide. This analysis explored the resilience that arose from participants’ experiences of traditional ways, including subsistence activities. Previous research has indicated the importance of traditional ways in preventing suicide and strengthening communities. Method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 university students who had migrated to Fairbanks, Alaska, from rural Alaskan communities. An interview protocol was developed in collaboration with cultural and community advisors. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Participants were asked specific questions concerning the strengthening of traditional practices towards the prevention of suicide. Transcripts were analysed using the techniques of grounded theory. Findings. Participants identified several resilience factors against suicide, including traditional practices and subsistence activities, meaningful community involvement and an active lifestyle. Traditional practices and subsistence activities were perceived to create the context for important relationships, promote healthy living to prevent suicide, contrast with current challenges and transmit important cultural values. Participants considered the strengthening of these traditional ways as important in suicide prevention efforts. However, subsistence and traditional practices were viewed as a diminishing aspect of daily living in rural Alaska. Conclusions. Many college students from rural Alaska have been affected by suicide but are strong enough to cope with such tragic events. Subsistence living and traditional practices were perceived as important social and cultural processes with meaningful lifelong benefits for ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Christopher R. DeCou Monica C. Skewes Ellen D. S. López |
author_facet |
Christopher R. DeCou Monica C. Skewes Ellen D. S. López |
author_sort |
Christopher R. DeCou |
title |
Traditional living and cultural ways as protective factors against suicide: perceptions of Alaska Native university students |
title_short |
Traditional living and cultural ways as protective factors against suicide: perceptions of Alaska Native university students |
title_full |
Traditional living and cultural ways as protective factors against suicide: perceptions of Alaska Native university students |
title_fullStr |
Traditional living and cultural ways as protective factors against suicide: perceptions of Alaska Native university students |
title_full_unstemmed |
Traditional living and cultural ways as protective factors against suicide: perceptions of Alaska Native university students |
title_sort |
traditional living and cultural ways as protective factors against suicide: perceptions of alaska native university students |
publisher |
Taylor & Francis Group |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.20968 https://doaj.org/article/a02c0f7e060f4955b2663576504d2a84 |
geographic |
Arctic Fairbanks |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Fairbanks |
genre |
Arctic Circumpolar Health International Journal of Circumpolar Health Alaska |
genre_facet |
Arctic Circumpolar Health International Journal of Circumpolar Health Alaska |
op_source |
International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Vol 72, Iss 0, Pp 1-5 (2013) |
op_relation |
http://www.circumpolarhealthjournal.net/index.php/ijch/article/download/20968/pdf_1 https://doaj.org/toc/2242-3982 doi:10.3402/ijch.v72i0.20968 2242-3982 https://doaj.org/article/a02c0f7e060f4955b2663576504d2a84 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.20968 |
container_title |
International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
container_volume |
72 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
20968 |
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1766343524497752064 |