Community-Based Participatory Research Integrates Behavioral and Biological Research to Achieve Health Equity for Native Hawaiians

Prioritizing Connection and Centering on Community: Take Your Shoes Off and Don't Put Your Feet on the Furniture

This column describes what it means to be "in" a community and how to create a leading role for community partners in shaping research. It highlights essential components for conducting clinical and translational research in the community, including: (1) invitation to share history and purpose; (2) community-initiated collaboration and engagement; (3) focus on social and cultural determinants of health; (4) community-driven measures and frameworks; (5) application of Indigenous methods and approaches; and (6) implementation of Indigenous and adaptable interventions. Partnering with a community entails building relationships and positioning research around community interests, using methodologies and interventions right for the community.

Developing principles of social change as a result of a Pasifika Youth Empowerment Program: A qualitative study

ISSUE

Empowerment is a concept over-used in health promotion, yet it is an important process that can used in developing the capacity and capability of young people for creating social change to improve healthier lives.

METHODS

The Youth Empowerment Program (YEP), a pilot study aimed at empowering 15 youth (18-24 years) to lead healthier lives. We present secondary outcomes of the original YEP study, using focus groups and mobile-mentary approaches to capture the impact of the YEP through the youths' understanding of the program. Thematic analyses to examine the pragmatic usefulness of the empowerment program.

RESULTS

We identified three major themes: (aa) Knowledge: education and awareness of healthy living and understanding of the wider social health issues, compound the health complexities of obesity; (b) Youth as catalysts for change: the youth viewed themselves as agents of social change; and (c) Transformation: the youth recognised themselves as catalysts for change that can positively transform communities into action.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes new insights and depth of understanding about how the empowerment program can strengthen the process of individual capacity in an effort to mobilise social change for the betterment of the whole community, particularly among indigenous Pasifika population groups. SO WHAT?: Developing empowerment principles will enable others to consider "how apply" empowerment more practically when working with young people and not use it flippantly with no real action-oriented outcome.

Best Practices for Community-Engaged Research with Pacific Islander Communities in the US and USAPI: A Scoping Review

This scoping review identifies the best practices of community-based participatory research with Pacific Islanders in the United States and United States Affiliated Pacific Islands. Eighty-four articles from January 2000 to December 2017 were included in the review. Best practices included the importance of engaging Pacific Islander community leaders as research staff, community co-investigators, and community advisory board members. Best practices also focused on removing barriers to research by using participants' native languages, conducting research within the geographic community, and spending significant time to build trust. Novel best practices included honoring Pacific Islanders' cultural practices such as protocols for engagement, reciprocity, and social and spiritual inclusiveness and honoring Pacific Islanders' collectivist cultural structure. The goal of this scoping review is to aid community-academic partnerships working to improve the health of Pacific Islanders.

Health disparities in American Indians/Alaska Natives: Implications for nurse practitioners

American Indians/Alaska Natives experience significant health disparities in many areas including metabolic and mental health disorders. The basis for these differences is grounded in the lasting effects of historical trauma. NPs have the opportunity to understand the underlying causes of these disparities and provide health interventions that promote wellness.

Surveying Strategies for Hard-to-Survey Populations: Lessons From the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander National Health Interview Survey

Calls for remedies for the persistent scarcity of accurate, reliable, national, disaggregated health statistics on hard-to-survey populations are common, but solutions are rare. Survey strategies used in community and clinical studies of hard-to-survey populations often cannot be, and generally are not, implemented at the national level.This essay presents a set of approaches, for use in combination with traditional survey methods in large-scale surveys of these populations, to overcome challenges in 2 domains: sampling and motivating respondents to participate. The first approach consists of using the American Community Survey as a frame, and the second consists of implementing a multifaceted community engagement effort.We offer lessons learned from implementing these strategies in a national survey, some of which are relevant to all survey planners. We then present evidence of the quality of the resulting data set. If these approaches were used more widely, hard-to-survey populations could become more visible and accurately represented to those responsible for setting national priorities for health research and services.

Implementation effectiveness of health interventions for indigenous communities: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Translating research into practice is an important issue for implementing health interventions effectively for Indigenous communities. He Pikinga Waiora (HPW) is a recent implementation framework that provides a strong foundation for designing and implementing health interventions in Indigenous communities for non-communicable diseases around community engagement, culture-centred approach, systems thinking and integrated knowledge translation. This study addresses the following research question: How are the elements of the HPW Implementation Framework reflected in studies involving the implementation of a non-communicable disease health intervention in an Indigenous community?

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted using multiple databases. Studies were included if they involved the implementation or evaluation of a health intervention targeting non-communicable diseases for Indigenous communities in Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the United States of America. Published quantitative and qualitative literature from 2008 to 2018 were included. Methodological appraisal of the included articles was completed using the Joanna Briggs Institute System for the Unified Management, Assessment and Review of Information. Data on the population, topic, methods, and outcomes were detailed for each individual study. Key data extracted included the HPW elements along with study characteristics, who delivered the intervention and health outcomes. Data analysis involved a qualitative synthesis of findings as guided by a coding scheme of the HPW elements.

RESULTS

Twenty-one studies were included. Health topics included diabetes, nutrition, weight loss, cancer and general health. The key themes were as follows: (a) two thirds of studies demonstrated high levels of community engagement; (b) from the culture-centred approach, two-thirds of studies reflected moderate to high levels of community voice/agency although only a third of the studies included structural changes and researcher reflexivity; (c) about a quarter of studies included multi-level outcomes and activities consistent with systems thinking, 40% had individual-level outcomes with some systems thinking, and 33% included individual-level outcomes and limited systems thinking; and (d) almost 40% of studies included high levels of end user (e.g., policy makers and tribal leaders) engagement reflective of integrated knowledge translation, but nearly half had limited end-user engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

The HPW Implementation Framework is a comprehensive model for potentially understanding implementation effectiveness in Indigenous communities. The review suggests that the studies are reflective of high levels of community engagement and culture-centredness. The long-term sustainability and translation of evidence to practice may be inhibited because of lower levels of systems thinking and integrated knowledge translation.

REGISTRATION

Not registered.

Precision health: Advancing symptom and self-management science

BACKGROUND

Precision health considers individual lifestyle, genetics, behaviors, and environment context and facilitates interventions aimed at helping individuals achieve well-being and optimal health.

PURPOSE

To present the Nursing Science Precision Health (NSPH) Model and describe the integration of precision health concepts within the domains of symptom and self-management science as reflected in the National Institute of Nursing Research P30 Centers of Excellence and P20 Exploratory Centers.

METHODS

Center members developed the NSPH Model and the manuscript based on presentations and discussions at the annual NINR Center Directors Meeting and in follow-up telephone meetings.

DISCUSSION

The NSPH Model comprises four precision components (measurement; characterization of phenotype including lifestyle and environment; characterization of genotype and other biomarkers; and intervention target discovery, design, and delivery) that are underpinned by an information and data science infrastructure.

CONCLUSION

Nurse scientist leadership is necessary to realize the vision of precision health as reflected in the NSPH Model.

Social and economic influences on infant and child feeding practices in a Marshallese community

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to examine the key influences on infant and child feeding practices among a Marshallese community at each social ecological level. It is the first study to examine the key influences on infant and child feeding practices with Marshallese immigrant women in the USA and helps fill a gap in the previous literature that has included other immigrant women.

DESIGN

Community-based participatory research design with twenty-seven participants taking part in four qualitative focus groups.

SETTING

The study took place within the Marshallese community in Arkansas, USA.ParticipantsParticipants included Marshallese women with children aged 1-3 years and/or caregivers. Caregivers were defined as someone other than the parent who cares for children. Caregivers were often older women in the Marshallese community.

RESULTS

There were five primary themes within multiple levels of the Social Ecological Model. At the intrapersonal level, mothers' and caregivers' autonomy emerged. At the interpersonal level, child-led and familial influences emerged. At the organizational level, health-care provider influences emerged; and at the policy level, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children emerged as the most salient influence.

CONCLUSIONS

Marshallese immigrant women's infant and child feeding practices are influenced at intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational and policy levels. Understanding these multidimensional influences is necessary to inform the creation of culturally tailored interventions to reduce health disparities within the Marshallese community.

Best practices for community-engaged participatory research with Pacific Islander communities in the USA and USAPI: protocol for a scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Community-based participatory research is a partnership approach to research that seeks to equally involve community members, organisational representatives and academic partners throughout the research process in a coequal and mutually beneficial partnership. To date, no published article has synthesised the best practices for community-based participatory research practices with Pacific Islanders.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The reviewers will examine studies' titles, abstracts and full text, comparing eligibility to address discrepancies. For each eligible study, data extraction will be executed by two reviewers and one confirmation coder, comparing extracted data to address any discrepancies. Eligible data will be synthesised and reported in a narrative review assessing coverage and gaps in existing literature related to community-based participatory research with Pacific Islanders.

DISCUSSION AND DISSEMINATION

The purpose of this review is to identify best practices used when conducting community-based participatory research with Pacific Islanders; it will also extrapolate where the gaps are in the existing literature. This will be the first scoping review on community-based participatory research with Pacific Islanders. To facilitate dissemination, the results of this scoping review will be submitted for publication to a peer-reviewed journal, presented at conferences and shared with community-based participatory research stakeholders.

Biospecimen donation among black and white breast cancer survivors: opportunities to promote precision medicine

PURPOSE

Advances in precision medicine (PM) have potential to reduce and/or eliminate breast cancer disparities in both treatment and survivorship. However, compared to white Americans, black Americans are often underrepresented in genetic research. This report assessed factors that influence receipt of buccal cells via saliva kits.

METHODS

This prospective study recruited women with confirmed hormonal-positive (HR+) breast cancer (BC). A standardized telephone survey collected sociodemographic, socio-cultural (e.g., religiosity), and healthcare process factors. Clinical information was abstracted from medical records. After the baseline survey, return postage-paid envelopes and mouthwash collection kits were mailed. Univariate and adjusted logistic regression models estimated the probability of biospecimen donation.

RESULTS

Seventy percent of the sample provided buccal cells which were of good quality. No differences were noted by race or other demographic factors. In the multivariable logistic model, time spent with providers (OR 1.61 per 1-point increase; 95% CI 1.242, 2.088) and religiosity (OR 0.957 per 1-point increase; 95% CI 0.931, 0.984) remained associated with biospecimen provision. Women with lower-stage cancer (vs. higher stage III+) were more likely to donate biospecimens (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer care experiences predicted specimen donation. Understanding the contextual reasons for lower receipt among women with higher religiosity scores and higher stage warrants further examination.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

PM is relevant to cancer survivors because of its potential to inform targeted therapies, understand disease resistance, and aide in prediction of toxicity and/or recurrence. Future efforts to launch precision medicine trials with BC survivors may benefit from engaging medical oncologists and/or leveraging patient-provider encounters for trial participation.

Lifestyle Inequalities: Explaining Socioeconomic Differences in Preventive Practices of Clinically Overweight Women After Menopause

Excess weight and menopause are two major factors increasing aging women's vulnerability to chronic diseases. However, social position and socioeconomic status have also been identified as major determinants influencing both health behaviors and the development of such diseases. This study focuses on the socioeconomic variations of behavioral risk factors of chronic diseases in aging women. By drawing on Bourdieu's sociocultural theory of practice, 40 semistructured interviews were conducted to investigate preventive health practices of clinically overweight, postmenopausal women from contrasting socioeconomic classes living in Canada. Findings emphasize class-based differences with respect to long-term health and preventive practices according to three major themes: priority to long-term time horizons, attention given to risk factors of diseases, and control over future health. Health care providers should strive to work in concert with all subgroups of women to better understand their values, worldviews, and needs to decrease health inequalities after menopause.

Leveraging community-based participatory research capacity to recruit Pacific Islanders into a genetics study

Pacific Islanders face many health disparities, including higher rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Specifically, the Marshallese population suffers disproportionately from type 2 diabetes, with rates 400% higher than the general US population. As part of an ongoing community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership, 148 participants were recruited for a study examining genetic variants to better understand diabetes. Participants provided a saliva specimen in an Oragene® DNA self-collection kit. Each participant provided approximately 2 mL volume of saliva and was asked qualitative questions about their experience. The study yielded a recruitment rate of 95.5%. Among the 148 persons who participated, 143 (96.6%) agreed to be contacted for future studies; 142 (95.9%) agreed to have their samples used for future IRB-approved studies; and 144 (97.3%) gave permission for the researchers to link information from this study to other studies in which they had participated. Qualitative responses showed that the majority of participants were willing to participate because of their desire to contribute to the health of their community and to understand the genetic influence related to diabetes. This study demonstrates willingness to participate in genetic research among Marshallese living in Arkansas. Willingness was likely enhanced because the feasibility study was part of a larger CBPR effort. This study is important to community stakeholders who have voiced a desire to collaboratively conduct genetic research related to diabetes, perinatal outcomes, and cancer.

The 2014 Minority Health and Health Disparities Grantees’ Conference

Health disparities have been defined as a particular type of health difference closely linked with social, economic and/or environmental disadvantage. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) at the National Institutes of Health, has a comprehensive portfolio of grants that fund scientific research to improve racial/ethnic minority health and eliminate health disparities. The 2014 Minority Health and Health Disparities Grantees’ Conference highlighted excellence and innovation in biological, environmental, sociocultural, clinical and behavioral research supported by NIMHD. This special issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health includes peer-reviewed publications from investigators who participated in this conference.