| Summary: | Thesis (M.Nurs.), College of Nursing, Washington State University Purpose: The purpose of this article is to give nurse practitioners (NP) insight into health and wellness and substance abuse treatment options that are culturally sensitive and meet the needs of American Indian/Alaska Native clients. Data sources: A literature review of PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases using the following search terms: Native American, Alaska Native, First Nations, aboriginal, substance abuse, treatment modalities, therapeutic modalities, substance abuse, methamphetamine abuse, alcoholism, chemical dependency, Native American wellness, Native American spirituality and medicine wheel. English language sources from 2005-2009 and studies of treatment programs for adolescents and adults were included. Conclusions: Treatment programs for AllAN people can be classified as evidence-based, culturally sensitive or integrated. Participatory Action Research has been used to effectively identify culture-specific treatment outcomes and incorporate Native American Wellness models such as the Medicine Wheel and traditional practices into treatment program designs. Implications for practice: It is not possible to generalize a single American Indian/Alaska Native viewpoint of health, however American Indian/Alaska Native definitions of health and wellness differ from mainstream disease models. This paper provides direction to NPs to make referrals to culturally sensitive treatment programs that meet the specific needs of AllAN clients.
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