About

Dr. John Ronald Lowe is the Joseph H. Blades Centennial Memorial Professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing and has served as the former Director of the Indigenous Nursing Research Enhancement (INRE) Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program. He is an enrolled member of the Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama and the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware. Dr. Lowe has developed and studied interventions aimed at the prevention and reduction of substance use and behavioral health disorders among Native American and Indigenous youth and young adults globally. His work is guided by models he developed, including the Cherokee Self-Reliance, Native Self-Reliance, and Native-Reliance theoretical frameworks. He authored the first manualized Talking Circle intervention to reduce substance use and mental, emotional, and behavioral health risks among Native American/Indigenous youth in the United States and internationally in countries such as Canada and Australia. His research has been funded by prominent organizations including the National Institutes of Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, the Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Dr. Lowe's contributions have been recognized through numerous awards, such as the American Nurses Association Luther Christman Award, the Lifetime Achievement In Education & Research Award, and induction into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. He has also developed the first Center for Indigenous Nursing Research and hosted the International Indigenous Nursing Research Summits in 2017 and 2022. Dr. Lowe has presented nationally and internationally, and has published several articles and books.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Nursing
• Clinical psychology
• Sociology
• Economic growth
• Environmental health
• Geography
• Law
• Gender studies
• Gerontology

Selected publications

• The Utility of Psychological Capital Theory in Rural Adolescent Mental Health Research

  Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry · 2026-03-13

  articleOpen access

  BackgroundVery few studies have been conducted to explore psychological capital (combined hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism known as PsyCap) and mental health among rural U.S. adolescents.PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between PsyCap and mental health using a health equity lens.MethodsA sample of 59 rural U.S. adolescents completed the survey packet. Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted on the RStudio platform.FindingsPsyCap was significantly associated with wellbeing and anxiety. Non-binary adolescents reported significantly lower PsyCap. While the overall sample reported perceived rejection above the national norm, non-binary adolescents reported the highest levels.DiscussionPsychological capital theory served as a useful framework for exploring mental health among rural adolescents. More research needs to be conducted with large inclusive samples of rural adolescents who live on the margins. Examination of mental health services in rural settings should be considered.

  PublisherDOI

• Formative Research and Cultural Tailoring of a Substance Abuse Prevention Program for American Indian Youth: Findings From the Intertribal Talking Circle Intervention

  UNC Libraries · 2025-07-15

  articleOpen access

  <em>Background</em>. Substance use among American Indians (AIs) is a critical health issue and accounts for many health problems such as chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, behavioral health conditions, homicide, suicide, and motor vehicle accidents. In 2013, the highest rates of substance use and dependence were seen among AIs when compared to all other population groups, although these rates vary across different tribes. Among AI adolescents, high rates of substance use have been associated with environmental and historical factors, including poverty, historical trauma, bicultural stress, and changing tribal/familial roles. Our project, the Intertribal Talking Circle intervention, involved adapting, tailoring, implementing, and evaluating an existing intervention for AI youth of three tribal communities in the United States. <em>Formative Results</em>. Community partnership committees (CPCs) identified alcohol, marijuana, and prescription medications as high priority substances. CPC concerns focused on the increasing substance use in their communities and the corresponding negative impacts on families, stating a lack of coping skills, positive role models, and hope for the future as concerns for youth. <em>Cultural Tailoring Process Results</em>. Each site formed a CPC that culturally tailored the intervention for their tribal community. This included translating Keetoowah-Cherokee language, cultural practices, and symbolism into the local tribal customs for relevance. The CPCs were essential for incorporating local context and perceived concerns around AI adolescent substance use. These results may be helpful to other tribal communities developing/implementing substance use prevention interventions for AI youth. It is critical that Indigenous cultures and local context be factored into such programs.

  PublisherDOI

• Native American Youth Reflections on Participation in a School-Based Mental Health Intervention Program

  International Journal for Human Caring · 2025-12-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sensor-controlled digital game for Native American adults in the Lumbee Tribe with hypertension self-management: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

  Trials · 2025-09-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) health in Native Americans (NAs), contributing to disparities in mortality, hospitalizations, and complications that include stroke and kidney diseases. However, despite the benefits of lifestyle modifications for CV health, systemic and cultural barriers hinder their adoption. To promote self-care behaviors, interventions must be culturally tailored and sustainable. Digital games (DGs) offer a promising, community-based approach to enhance self-care for hypertension (HTN) in NAs, aligning with traditional NA practices in which games foster skill-building and engagement. This study focuses on the Lumbee NA community, which faces significant HTN-related disparities. Using community-based participatory research, we are developing a culturally tailored, native-sensor-controlled digital game (N-SCDG) to support HTN self-care behaviors. METHODS: This is a prospective, randomized (1:1) controlled clinical trial with two groups, to evaluate the impact of a culturally tailored N-SCDG on engagement in HTN self-care behaviors and related health outcomes among Lumbee adults at 3 and 6 months. Adults aged ≥ 18 years from the Lumbee tribal community in Robeson County and diagnosed with HTN will be randomized into an N-SCDG intervention group or a sensor-only control group. Both groups will receive a Fitbit activity tracker to monitor physical activity (PA). The N-SCDG group will engage in the game, which incorporates evidence-based HTN education, while the control group will receive the same HTN education in written format. The primary outcome is the mean daily step count, recorded by the activity tracker at 3 and 6 months. Secondary outcomes include systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), BP control, HTN knowledge, self-efficacy, motivation for self-care, quality of life (QoL), and cardiac hospitalization rates. DISCUSSION: This evaluation of an N-SCDG to enhance HTN self-care in Lumbee adults will integrate culturally relevant design with evidence-based education and thus address a gap in use of digital health tools for NAs. The findings will provide vital data on the impact of digital health interventions to improve HTN outcomes and advance health equity in underserved NA communities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05671406. Registered on January 9, 2024.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• To Be Indigenous: A Way of Being in Relationship Through the Lens of Nursing as Caring

  International Journal for Human Caring · 2025-12-01

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Sociocultural and contextual influences on mental health

  Research in Nursing & Health · 2024-02-23

  editorialOpen access

  The decision to focus this special issue of Research in Nursing & Health on sociocultural and contextual influences on mental health emerged from our shared concern over the growing prevalence of mental health problems in the United States and globally. One in eight people lives with a mental health problem and it is a leading cause of disability (World Health Organization, 2022). The Lancet Commission on global mental health and sustainability development (Patel et al., 2018), advanced four principles for guiding global mental health policy that are also relevant to this special issue: (1) mental health is a global public good and essential regardless of socioeconomic status; (2) mental health problems are diverse and complex; (3) mental health is integrally tied to social, environmental, genetic, and biological factors; and (4) mental health is a fundamental human right requiring thoughtful approaches to protecting those at greatest risk for poor mental health. The articles in this special issue reflect these principles and the importance of accounting for poverty, culture, environmental context, and histories of trauma and adversity in understanding this complex and disabling health problem. Postpartum depression is a topic of global interest because it is prevalent and can have substantial negative effects on children's health and well-being (Wang et al., 2021). Three articles in this special issue focus on the prevalence and correlates of post-partum depression in three understudied and underserved populations: immigrant and refugee Arab American mothers (Khalil et al., 2023); Bedouin mothers living in Israel (Alfayumi-Zeadna et al., 2023); and Ethiopian mothers, 15–30 years old, followed from pregnancy to 6 weeks postpartum (Kassa et al., 2023). All three studies of postpartum depression confirm the powerful and pervasive effects of poverty and its correlates on women's mental health. They also offer perspectives on how the unique context and circumstances of these women's lives likely played important roles in their mental health journey. For example, the Israeli Bedouin population described by Alfayumi-Zeadna et al. (2023) are a “seminomadic society with a rich cultural heritage” that also includes high birth rates, consanguineous marriage, gender inequality, and minority political status. The Arab American mothers studied by Khalil et al. (2023) reported high levels of acculturative and traumatic stress, particularly among the refugees who have fled violence or persecution in their home country. Over half of the Ethiopian mothers studied by Kassa et al. (2023) had not received formal education and although 98.2% were married or living with their partner, over 35% described their pregnancies as unwanted. These factors are essential considerations in understanding the unique psychological stressors these mothers must navigate while bringing a young child into the world. Two of the studies tested the role of food insecurity and nutrition on postpartum depression. Alfayumi-Zeadna et al. (2023) found a significant negative relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and hemoglobin levels. Kassa et al. (2023) also reported significant associations between higher postpartum depression scores and greater likelihood of experiencing household food insecurity and inadequate dietary diversity. These are important findings highlighting the importance of identifying and treating anemia and food insecurity along with postpartum depression. Three studies included in this special issue focus on the mental health of youth and young adults. One study investigated the mental health of Arab American young adults (Albdour et al., 2023). A second cross-sectional study (Almaradheef & Alhalal, 2024) examined the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on late adolescence in Saudi Arabia, and a third study (Coventry et al., 2023) examined in utero/peripartum antiretroviral therapy (IPA) exposure type and the relationship to mental health symptoms among children. These three studies provide information regarding the need to examine the mental health of youth and young adults among diverse populations. Insights were gained from the study by Albdour et al. (2023) regarding how stressors and childhood adversities may differ between first- and second-generation Arabic descent immigrants. The study investigated the effects of multiple stressors including ACEs, discrimination, and bullying victimization on the mental health of first- and second-generation Arab American young adults. Results confirm the detrimental effects of multiple adversities at a young age on individuals' mental health and the risk for serious and chronic physical and mental disorders later in life. ACEs were discovered to have a direct effect on subjective well-being, health complaints, healthcare utilization, and sense of mastery among late adolescents from two regions in Saudi Arabia (Almaradheef & Alhalal, 2024). Outcomes indicate that sense of mastery had an effect on subjective well-being and health complaints. Findings also suggest that more studies are needed that investigate ACE outcomes and the detrimental effects on adolescent health. Results from the prospective cohort study conducted by Coventry et al. (2023) investigated Ugandan school-aged and adolescent children and their adult caregivers suggesting that among IPA-exposed children, different regimens may have disparate effects on mental health remain poorly understood in HIV and IPA-exposed children. The study provides an increased understanding of the long-term emotional and mental health effects of IPA exposure and the importance of monitoring the mental health trajectory of HIV-exposed children. The mental health of women is strongly impacted by adverse experiences (Kucharska, 2018; Walker Taylor et al., 2018). In this special issue, two articles specifically focus on the mental health experiences of women who have faced difficult circumstances. Both studies used qualitative methodologies to examine the mental health experiences of women in adverse situations. Woods and colleagues employed a phenomenological approach to identify the mental health experiences of women with infertility due to diminished ovarian reserve (Woods et al., 2023). The authors found that the women reported feelings of invisibility, hopelessness, and barriers to accessing mental health resources (Woods et al., 2023). They emphasized the need to incorporate mental health screenings and resources into fertility healthcare settings, as well as increasing knowledge and education to facilitate shared decision-making (Woods et al., 2023). In the second article, Crawford et al. (2023) explored the coping strategies of Latina women involved with the legal system. The authors identified themes related to traumatic experiences before, during, and after incarceration, which had implications for the women's coping responses. However, they also highlighted a theme of resilience and overcoming following incarceration, with some women discussing reuniting with their children and engaging in adaptive coping (Crawford et al., 2023). The authors emphasized the importance of providing trauma-informed theories to guide education programs for nurses, as well as the need for culturally tailored interventions specific to women post-incarceration (Crawford et al., 2023). These two important contributions to the literature demonstrate that mental health assessments and treatments are a priority for women who have faced adverse experiences. It is crucial that the voices of women experiencing trauma and adversity are heard, and that they have access to equitable and inclusive mental health care. Various studies included in this special issue address substance abuse among different age and cultural groups. These included studies focused on alcohol and substance use among Native American youth in the United States (Lowe et al., 2024), tobacco and alcohol co-use among college graduates in Spain (Neddermann-Carrillo et al., 2024), and people who inject drugs (PWID) in the United States (Heidari et al., 2023). Taken together, these studies highlight unique challenges and opportunities for addressing substance abuse across the lifespan and through a multitude of community-based and healthcare responses. The results from the Intertribal Talking Circle Study trial demonstrate the importance of culturally responsive approaches to addressing substance use. In this study, Lowe et al. (2024) tested the effects of the Intertribal Talking Circle Intervention in comparison to a general substance abuse program that is considered the standard practice, Be a Winner, among Native American youth between the ages of 10 and 12. The Intertribal Talking Circle participants experienced more significant decreases in alcohol and substance use and also experienced the benefit of developing a stronger sense of cultural pride, which has important implications for the promotion of mental health and well-being more broadly. The observational research reported among adult college graduates from the “Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra” (SUN) cohort study in Spain (n = 7175) (Neddermann-Carrillo et al., 2024) and qualitative research with PWID (Heidari et al., 2023) help identify opportunities for interventions. Findings from SUN highlight important demographic, behavioral factors, and personality factors that can be used to identify sub-populations at the highest risk for alcohol and tobacco co-use (e.g., more frequent coffee drinkers) and protective characteristics that can be leveraged (e.g., promoting physical activity). Findings from interviews with 24 PWIDs further highlight the importance of healthcare responses to include wrap-around services that build on strong patient-provider relationships and integrate substance abuse, mental health, physical health, social needs, and harm reduction approaches (Heidari et al., 2023). The body of research included in this special issue on mental health highlights the complex web of factors that influence risk and experiences for diverse and underserved populations across the globe and provides exemplars of effective strategies to address this significant global public health crisis. Findings highlight the important role that early life exposures, such as ACEs, and structural and social determinants, such as gender inequality, poverty, war, violence, and stress, have on mental health. Vulnerabilities are particularly highlighted among women and youth. Results from these studies also underscore the importance of trauma-informed and culturally aligned intervention approaches for leveraging community strengths and fostering resilience and healing. Strategies using trauma-informed and culturally tailored strategies should be implemented in both community and healthcare settings, expanding access and reach, and are likely to have a long-term impact on multiple mental and physical health outcomes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A commercial tobacco and alcohol use intervention for urban Native American youth

  Archives of Psychiatric Nursing · 2024-07-09 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sustainability of an intervention for the prevention of substance use within Native American communities

  Archives of Psychiatric Nursing · 2024-07-04 · 1 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Cultivating resilience and community engagement through research within Indigenous populations

  Archives of Psychiatric Nursing · 2024-07-14

  editorial1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Intertribal Talking Circle for the prevention of alcohol and drug use among Native American youth

  Research in Nursing & Health · 2024 · 8 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Medicine
  • Psychology
  • Clinical psychology

  The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a culturally based intervention, the Intertribal Talking Circle program, compared to a standard alcohol and drug abuse education, the Be A Winner program. Community-based participatory research was used to implement a two-condition, quasi-experimental study. The sample included 540 Native American youth ages 10-12 years old from three tribal areas in the United States. Data were collected at baseline, 6 and 12-months post-intervention for both the intervention and control groups using demographic, cultural identity, alcohol use, and drug use questionnaires. Regression models evaluated participants' improvement in decreasing alcohol and drug use and increasing cultural identity. Findings revealed that alcohol and drug use decreased more significantly among youth who participated in the Intertribal Talking Circle (ITC) intervention program than youth who participated in a standard alcohol and drug abuse education Be A Winner (BAW) program. Cultural identity also increased more significantly among participants who completed the Talking Circle intervention program. Native American youth ages 10-12 years old respond positively to a culturally based intervention for the reduction of alcohol and drug use. The findings highlight the importance of cultural values and identity and their significance in preventing and reducing alcohol and drug use among Native American youth.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R01DA021714

  NIH · $1.3M · 2011

• Intertribal Talking Circle for the Prevention of Substance Abuse in Native Youth

  NIH · $3.0M · 2014–2020

Frequent coauthors

• J O'

  RAND Corporation

  49 shared

• W. W. Judd

  49 shared

• A Homas

  National Institute of Standards and Technology

  49 shared

• Paul Weidlinger

  Weidlinger Associates (United States)

  49 shared

• Sw Ivan

  49 shared

• R.W. Nesbitt

  National Oceanography Centre

  49 shared

• Mtenuation Shock Wave

  National Institute of Standards and Technology

  49 shared

• J. H. Huth

  Underground Systems (United States)

  49 shared

Awards & honors

• American Nurses Association Luther Christman Award
• Florida Nurses Association Cultural Diversity Award
• Great 100 Centennial Research Award
• Nursing Educator of the Year Award
• Nurse of the Year Award