The Challenges of Research in Native American Communities

Gaining access to Native American communities can be a major challenge for social work researchers. This paper discusses some of the reasons why access may be difficult and how researchers can begin to address these challenges. The principles of conducting culturally competent research in Native American communities are demonstrated using case examples. Examples illustrate techniques for soliciting and maintaining the cooperation of reservation and urban Native American communities for research projects. The challenges of conducting a large scale needs assessment with an off-reservation Native American population in an urban area are discussed.