Changing the narrative: Addressing American Indian/Alaska Native mental health needs through academic holistic...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Mental Health Disparities
• Indigenous Health

Background:

• American Indian/Alaska Natives (AIAN) experience disproportionately high rates of suicide and mental health challenges.
• AIAN undergraduate and graduate students encounter cultural and institutional barriers to accessing mental health services.
• Existing support systems often fail to address the unique needs of AIAN students, leading to untreated mental health conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how Indigenous faculty and culturally-grounded support can mitigate mental health service barriers for AIAN students.
• To advocate for a paradigm shift towards holistic, strength-based approaches in academic institutions.
• To examine the role of curriculum indigenization in promoting mental health and academic success for AIAN students.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of barriers and facilitators to mental health service utilization among AIAN students.
• Review of existing literature on Indigenous pedagogy and culturally responsive care in higher education.
• Conceptual framework development for holistic, strength-based support systems.

Main Results:

• Indigenous faculty and staff can significantly reduce barriers by understanding AIAN history, culture, and traditional wellness views.
• A strength-based narrative, incorporating social support and cultural pride, enhances AIAN student mental health and success.
• Indigenizing doctoral nursing curricula can empower faculty to decolonize content and pedagogy, fostering a more supportive environment.

Conclusions:

• Culturally-informed support and strength-based approaches are crucial for improving AIAN student mental health outcomes.
• Academic institutions must adopt holistic strategies to support AIAN and other underrepresented students.
• Increasing the diversity of advanced practice registered nurses, faculty, and scholars through improved support benefits Indigenous communities.