A randomized trial to reduce smoking among American Indians in South Dakota: The walking forward study.

Background: Lung cancer is an important public health issue, particularly among American Indians (AIs). The reported decline in tobacco use for most racial/ethnic groups is not observed among AIs. This project was designed to address the research question, "Why don't more Northern Plains American Indians alter tobacco use behaviors known to increase the risk of cancer?"

Methods: Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, a multi-component intervention study was implemented.

Reality Versus Grant Application Research "Plans".

This article describes the implementation of the American Indian mHealth Smoking Dependence Study focusing on the differences between what was written in the grant application compared to what happened in reality. The study was designed to evaluate a multicomponent intervention involving 256 participants randomly assigned to one of 15 groups. Participants received either a minimal or an intense level of four intervention components: (1) nicotine replacement therapy, (2) precessation counseling, (3) cessation counseling, and (4) mHealth text messaging.

Prevalence of ATM Sequence Variants in Northern Plains American Indian Cancer Patients.

Purpose: To identify sequence variants of the ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene and establish their prevalence rate among American Indian (AI) as compared with non-AI cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: DNA was isolated from blood samples collected from 100 AI and 100 non-AI cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy, and a blinded assessment of the ATM sequence was conducted. Quantitative PCR assessment of copy number for each exon was also performed.

Toward an mHealth Intervention for Smoking Cessation.

The prevalence of tobacco dependence in the United States (US) remains alarming. Invariably, smoke-related health problems are the leading preventable causes of death in the US. Research has shown that a culturally tailored cessation counseling program can help reduce smoking and other tobacco usage.

Patient navigation for American Indians undergoing cancer treatment: utilization and impact on care delivery in a regional healthcare center.

Background: A study was undertaken to assess patient navigation utilization and its impact on treatment interruptions and clinical trial enrollment among American Indian cancer patients.

Methods: Between February 2004 and September 2009, 332 American Indian cancer patients received patient navigation services throughout cancer treatment. The patient navigation program provided culturally competent navigators to assist patients with navigating cancer therapy, obtaining medications, insurance issues, communicating with medical providers, and travel and lodging logistics.

Community-based participatory development, implementation, and evaluation of a cancer screening educational intervention among American Indians in the Northern Plains.

The study describes the creation and implementation of a culturally appropriate cancer education intervention, and assesses its efficacy among American Indians in a community with documented cancer-related disparities. Education workshops were developed and conducted on three western South Dakota reservations and in Rapid City by trained community representatives. Over 400 individuals participated in the 2-h workshops.

Intention to receive cancer screening in Native Americans from the Northern Plains.

Background: Native Americans are disproportionately affected by cancer morbidity and mortality. This study examined intention to receive cancer screening in a large sample of Native Americans from the Northern Plains, a region with high cancer mortality rates.

Methods: A survey was administered orally to 975 individuals in 2004-2006 from three reservations and among the urban Native American community in the service region of the Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Cancer screening in Native Americans from the Northern Plains.

Background: Native Americans from the Northern Plains have the highest age-adjusted cancer mortality compared to Native Americans from any other region in the U.S.

Purpose: This study examined the utilization and determinants of cancer screening in a large sample of Native Americans from the Northern Plains.

Patterns of cigarette smoking initiation in two culturally distinct American Indian tribes.

Objectives: To better understand patterns of initiation among American Indians we examined age-related patterns of smoking initiation during adolescence and young adulthood in 2 American Indian tribes.

Methods: We used log-rank comparison and a Cox proportional hazard regression model to analyze data from a population-based study of Southwest and Northern Plains American Indians aged 18 to 95 years who initiated smoking by age 18 years or younger.

Results: The cumulative incidence of smoking initiation was much higher among the Northern Plains Indians (47%) than among the Southwest Indians (28%; P < .

Walking forward: a program designed to lower cancer mortality rates among American Indians in western South Dakota.

Walking Forward is a community-based participatory research program in western South Dakota funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The primary goal of this initiative is to address the high and ominously increasing cancer mortality rates among American Indians by facilitating access to innovative clinical trials, behavioral and genetic research and tailored patient navigation. The critical outcomes include: an unprecedented accrual rate of 25 percent in clinical trials, including cancer treatment and cancer control trials; a significant reduction in the number of missed treatment days among navigated American Indian cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy; and most importantly, establishment of trusting partnerships with the American Indian communities as reflected in enrollment in a genetic study involving the ataxia telangiectasia mutated gene.