Alcohol and drug use among the Brokenhead Ojibwa.

Abstract

The frequency of alcohol and drug use by residents of the Brokenhead Indian Reservation, an Ojibwa community in Manitoba, Canada, was surveyed. Predictors of alcohol and drug use were also examined. All residents of the community aged 6 and over were asked to participate in the study and only 15 refused; 52 students aged 6-17 and 67 adults were interviewed. The mean age of the entire sample was 25; 59% were males. In the past 6 mo., 5 of the 34 students aged 6-12 had used alcohol, 3 had used tobacco and 1 had used cannabis, whereas the respective numbers among the 18 students aged 13-17 were 10, 8 and 4. Fairly heavy alcohol use (2-5 times per week) was reported by 3 of the older students. Of the 38 adults under age 35, 34 had used alcohol, 31 had used tobacco and 18 had used cannabis, whereas among the 29 adults over 35 the respective numbers were 22, 20 and 6. Multiple regression analysis showed that within the student sample, students who were older, had poorer family relationships and participated less in hobbies were more likely than others to use alcohol or drugs. Among adults, only 1 significant predictor of alcohol use emerged: adults who participated less in hobbies were more likely than others to use alcohol. Predictors [5] of cannabis use were significant: adults who participated more in sports, had a more traditional upbringing, were younger, lower in social assets and had poorer family relationships reported more cannabis use than did others. Some possible explanations of these findings are suggested, and comparisons are made between the present results and those of other surveys of Native American drinking and drug use.