Substance use, treatment admissions, and recovery trends in diverse Washington state tribal communities

Background: Qualitative and quantitative data and participatory research approaches might be most valid and effective for assessing substance use/abuse and related trends in American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities. Method: Twenty-nine federally recognized AIAN tribes in Washington (WA) State were invited to participate in Health Directors (HD) interviews and State treatment admissions data analyses. Ten Tribal HD (or designees) from across WA participated in 30–60-minute qualitative interviews. State treatment admissions data from 2002 to 2008 were analyzed for those who identified with one of 11 participating AIAN communities to explore admission rates by primary drug compared to non-AIANs. Those who entered treatment and belonged to one of the 11 participating tribes (n = 4851) represented 16% of admissions for those who reported a tribal affiliation. Results: Interviewees reported that prescription drugs, alcohol, and marijuana are primary community concerns, each presenting similar and di...