Violence in Underserved Communities: From Understanding the Problem to Doing Something about It

Violence in some underserved populations, including the American Indian and Alaska Native population, has been well documented in the literature.  However, most of the research has focused on the causes of violence and impacts of violence on individual health. The findings have resulted in limited understanding and approaches to addressing the complex contextual factors that exist within communities. The emphasis on risk factors also has inadvertently further promoted stereotypes, discrimination, and oppression. This 20x20 talk will discuss the need for greater use of community-based participatory research and public health frameworks to expand the violence field into diverse areas, including health policy, health literacy, strength-based interventions, and resilience. To inform the discussion, the presenter will reflect on her own career path and specific projects and academic-community partnerships that began with research on the etiology of violence in Indian country and led to addressing health disparities in both rural and urban settings through policy, dissemination and implementation. The presenter will provide strategies for integrating interpersonal violence more broadly in public health, including in environmental health and integrative medicine, to move it from the sidelines to center stage of major public health concerns and priorities.