Yappalli - The Road to Choctaw Health

Study Design:

Investigators will conduct a 5-community longitudinal study using a cluster randomized stepped-wedge design to evaluate the intervention impact on alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) and obesity prevention primary aims of: (1) substance use harm reduction, overall ATOD use and intentions to use; and (2) weight/body mass index (BMI) change as well as the effect on leisure-time physical activity/physical activity (LTPA/PA), and healthful food habits among adult Choctaw women at risk for obesity and ATOD. The cluster randomized stepped-wedge design is a type of cross-over study in which clusters of women from each community cross over to the intervention arm at randomly assigned time points (one time per year, per community).

Sequence and Timing of Study Procedures:

Randomization: Investigators have created five regional communities and within each community a convenience sample will be drawn. Each site has been randomly assigned to start the intervention at a given year. Randomization occurs only to determine the year each community enters the study. Community 1 will begin the intervention immediately; communities 2-5 will complete three health assessments prior to beginning the intervention. These will occur at the same time of post-walk assessments for the community currently in the intervention (i.e. community 2 does health assessments in the same months community 1 does post-walk assessments and then begins the intervention in Year 2.)

Recruitment and Screening of Participants:

Recruitment strategies:

• Referrals from staff from Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) project staff, staff at Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority (CNHSA), Community Advisory Council members, health providers, and general community members. They will provide potential participants with a flyer and encourage women to call if interested.
• The following strategies will be used as necessary: posting flyers in community health clinics, stores, community centers, and other locations identified by our community advisors; and posting flyers in the tribal newspaper, other local news outlets, and on a study Facebook page.
• Recruitment materials will invite American Indian/Alaska Native women who are interested in participating in the research study to call a dedicated, toll-free phone number or the project number at Choctaw Nation.

Screening:

• Participants can opt for a phone or in-person screen using the same script.
• CNO study staff will answer and return phone calls and conduct the screens. Indigenous Wellness Research Institute (IWRI) staff will conduct eligibility screens on the phone as needed.
• Women screened out will be given a community resource list. Phone screeners will offer to mail or email the list.
• If a person is eligible, but declines to participate, they will be given a brief one-item exit question regarding general reason for non-participation.
• Eligible women who agree to participate will be asked to schedule their baseline assessment.

Participants will receive reminders by email, text or phone 2 days before, the day before, and the day of any meetings, assessments, or events.

Consent and Baseline Assessment:

The baseline assessment consists of a brief physical health assessment and a computer-assisted behavioral health survey administered by study staff. The physical health assessment is a non-invasive procedure that involves the measurement of BMI (with portable digital weight scale and height measure) and blood pressure. The computer-assisted behavioral health survey will ask a series of questions and take under 90 minutes to complete.

After consent is obtained, CNO study staff will set up the study laptop and headphones that the participant will use to enter their responses to the questionnaire. The variable matrix includes instructions, prompts, response scales, and references for all measures used for each behavioral health assessment.

Group Sessions/Yappalli Curriculum (Months 1-3) Participants will attend up to eight group sessions. The curriculum for these sessions includes: learning about Choctaw history, traditions,and cultural systems as well as women's roles (e.g., Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek); participating in cultural activities (e.g., stickball or social dances); developing traditionally-based materials (e.g., walking sticks); and using cultural metaphors for behavioral changes (e.g., 4 pillars of wellness-mind, body, spirit, emotion)). Experiential, outdoor activities are incorporated to promote group cohesion, improve relational worldviews, and connectedness to nature and the environment. Examples include activities on an outdoor ropes course maintained and managed by CNHSA or increasing LTPA/PA by walking or gardening.

Motivational Interviewing Individual Sessions (Months 1-3) In up to three sessions, participants will identify personal change goals on the main outcome variables as well as community leadership goals. These sessions will target four areas: increasing physical activity or movement; reducing or eliminating "junk" snack foods, sweets, and sugared soft drinks; decreasing addiction and or potential to misuse tobacco, alcohol or other substances and food; and increasing community leadership skills.

Culture Camp (Month 2) In this two-day, overnight camp participants will practice camping and being outdoors (e.g., setting up tents, trying out new shoes and equipment, etc.) and begin to strengthen group cohesion prior to embarking on the Trail. It is also designed to synthesize goals and cultural values discussed in the group and individual sessions.

Trail of Tears Walk (Month 3) Participants will gather at a location in Oklahoma before driving to a starting point at the Mississippi/Arkansas border then follow one of the routes of the Choctaw Trail of Tears through Arkansas and back into Oklahoma. They will walk on average 8-10 miles per day and travel by van for a portion of the trail to a different campsite each day. At the end of the trip, the walkers will have walked approximately 60-80 miles over the 260 mile route. On the last night of the Trail, participants will make a vow to conduct a community-wide event (based on personal and leadership goals and experience on the Trail) within nine months. Note: a support van will travel along with walkers so that they could walk as many minutes or miles they feel comfortable doing (e.g., from 10 mins. Less than a quarter mile to 10 miles).

Post-Walk assessments (Months 3-12) Three follow-up health assessments will occur: one immediately post-walk in Month 3, one in Month 9, and one in Month 12. These behavioral health assessments will be collected in the same manner and include a similar set of measures as the baseline assessment. The physical health assessments will also be conducted in the same manner as the baseline assessment.

Post-Walk Group Meetings (Months 3-12) Participants will attend up to six group meetings to plan community leadership events (investigators provide a small budget for the women to create a community event such as a community food garden). Specific meetings include: at three months post-walk a digital storytelling training to create a story related to ATOD and obesity prevention and their personal experiences; and at six months post-walk an individual MI booster session to revise their personal vows/goals and community leadership goals.

Final Community Event (Month 12) Participants will share digital stories and/or community event experiences and undergo a naming ceremony as they transition to health leaders within their communities. They will be given the option to become a member of one of seven Choctaw health promotion societies on which the intervention is based to continue their health promotion leadership efforts after their participation in the project ends.