Qungasvik (Toolbox): Prevention of Alcohol/Suicide Risk in Alaska Native Youth

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Alcohol Use Disorder; Suicide

Treatments: Behavioral: Qungasvik (Tools for Life)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05400135

R01AA023754

Details and patient eligibility

About

For the past 20+ years the investigators have focused on addressing two interrelated public health issues, alcohol use disorder (AUD) and suicide in Alaska. There is no greater source of health disparity in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities than that involving AUD and suicide, and no greater necessity in addressing this disparity than the development of sustained, trusting, collaborative, and non-exploitive research relationships with those who historically experienced forced acculturation and exploitation. Yup'ik community leaders have made addressing AUD and suicide among their highest priorities. Working with Yup'ik community members, the investigators developed a multilevel (individual, family, peer, and community) intervention that uses a culturally-based AUD and suicide prevention framework. The Qungasvik (kung-az-vik; a Yup'ik word meaning 'toolbox') intervention is a Yup'ik AN approach to prevention organized and implemented utilizing a local indigenous theory of change and process model to build protective factors against AUD and suicide. The purposes of the proposed research are to: (a) validate results obtained from previous smaller intervention studies aimed at reducing the incidence of AUD and suicide in 12-18 year old Yup'ik Alaska Native (AN) youth; and (b) learn more about the relative importance of the individual, family, peer, and community variables that underscore the Qungasvik intervention. This study will: (a) assess the efficacy of the Qungasvik intervention through a two group community level trial using an interrupted time series design with wait-listed control, and (b) examine mechanisms of change in response to intervention. Specific aims (SA) of the project are to: (SA1) test the Qungasvik intervention efficacy through impact on the ultimate outcome variables of reasons for life and reflective processes on alcohol use consequences, and on suicidal ideation and alcohol use; (SA2) examine the mechanisms of change in response to the Qungasvik intervention through (a) self-report outcome measures of protective factors (b) social network assessment and (c) process evaluation; (SA3) test levels of fidelity of the implementation of the intervention with regard to the Yup'ik indigenous theory-driven intervention model outlined in the Qungasvik manual of operations.

Enrollment: 542 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 12 to 21 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Alaska Native youth 12-21 years

Exclusion criteria

• Children under the age of 12

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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542 participants in 1 patient group

Qungasvik Intervention Group

Experimental group

Description:

Qungasvik implements intervention modules creating episodes of Yup'ik cultural engagement. In traditional Yup'ik practices prior to formal western schooling, the education and training of young people included introduction to cultural protocols, knowledge, and values while learning skills through participation in daily activities of family and community life such as subsistence, tool-building, and ceremony (Rasmus, Charles, \& Mohatt, 2014). The intervention manual provides outlines for 18 modules described as teachings, and conducted at the individual, family, or community level through one or more 1-3 hour sessions. Each module promotes 2-4 of a total of 13 protective factors.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Qungasvik (Tools for Life)