Article Text
Abstract
Purpose The aim of this paper is to report on the scope of programming and policy that has been conducted as part of the Indian Health Service(IHS) Injury Prevention Fellowship Program, as reported in the IHS Primary Care Provider.
Methods/Approach We conducted a systematic review of injury prevention (IP) related articles in the IHS Primary Care Provider Magazine published between March 1997 and August 2015. Each article was thoroughly read, catalogued, summarised, and evaluated. The studies were completed through the IHS Injury Prevention Fellowship Program.
Results Fellowship participants have completed several studies that promote IP among Native American communities. In total the provider reported on 97 injury related articles between 1997 and 2015. More than 15 different injury topics were covered, including motor vehicle crashes, poisonings, falls, burns, violence, and suicide. Articles reported on substance abuse education programs, suicide intervention skills trainings, smoke alarm distribution programs, motor vehicle safety programs, violence and sexual assault policies, and many others. A total of 22 tribes were explicitly mentioned in the articles including: Cherokee, Navajo, Ute, Yakama, Chippewa, Apache, Ho-Chunk, Omaha, Tohono O’odham Nation, Inupiat, and Yup’ik.
Conclusion The IHS Fellowship program has trained individuals since its inception on the importance of IP among American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Much of this work has been published in The IHS Primary Care Provider. This systematic review provides a summary of the IP work resulting from the fellowship.
Significance/Contribution Researchers aiming to do IP work with American Indian communities can reference this article for previous IP projects conducted in the field. This literature can be used to determine which programs have been most successful and why.