Strengthening Community Academic Partnerships for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Health
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Community-Academic Partnerships (NHPI CAP)program was established to strengthen community-engaged research addressing whole-person health in NHPI communities.
Health outcomes in NHPI communities are influenced by factors such as limited access to culturally appropriate care, low representation in health data, and fewer programs designed specifically for their communities. These challenges contribute to higher rates of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and mental health concerns. At the same time, NHPI communities have strong cultural values, social networks, and community leadership that support health and well-being. These strengths can be leveraged to develop community-driven solutions that improve health outcomes.
The program builds on the Community Engagement Alliance and aims to enhance community–academic partnerships that empower NHPI communities to shape, participate in, and benefit from community-engaged research.
NHPI CAP Awardees
University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)
The UAF team will work with the Pacific Community of Alaska to support maternal health among NHPI families. The project will adapt an existing culturally based lifestyle program to focus on maternal health. Community partners will guide the program’s adaptation and implementation, and the team will assess how well it works and how acceptable it is for participants. The goal is to improve maternal health and reduce long-term health risks.
POPULATION
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders in Anchorage, Alaska
University of California, Los Angeles-Pacific Islander Health Partnership (UCLA-PIHP)
The UCLA-PIHP team will adapt Mental Health First Aid training to better fit the needs and cultures of NHPI communities. NHPI community members and clinicians will use traditional talanoa (storytelling) and brief surveys to identify priority topics and skills to include in the training. This community coalition will also learn basic research and evaluation skills to prepare for the next phase, which will assess the effectiveness and implementation of this training with staff at their community organizations.
POPULATION
Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders across California
The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (UNT Health Fort Worth)
The UNT Health Fort Worth team will partner with communities in American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to address heart health. The project will identify communication challenges that hinder providers and community members from discussing heart disease risk and prevention. Using this information, the team will develop easy-to-understand, culturally relevant training and educational materials to improve communication, health literacy, and confidence in managing heart health. In a subsequent phase, the team will test the training and educational materials at community sites to assess their usefulness and communication impact.
POPULATIONS
Native Hawaiian and/or Pacific Islanders in American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands