A Culture and Wellness Pilot to Guide Community Engaged Public Health Research in Native American Populations.

BACKGROUND: Alaskan Native/American Indian (AI/AN) participation in biomedical sciences is often hindered by cultural miscommunication regarding concepts and definitions of health. Identifying culturally contextualized health priorities is crucial to building research collaborations between academic institutions and AI/AN consortia. METHODS: This article describes pilot data from the development of a culture and wellness questionnaire deployed by the Great Lakes Native American Research Center for Health at cultural events and community engagement meetings. The questionnaire was designed in collaboration with AI/AN members to assess performance indicators of public health promotion in AI/AN populations who are culturally inclined to interpret health holistically. RESULTS: There were 25 completed questionnaires. Connection to the land (88%) and "giving thanks" (96%) were the most prominently affirmed health and wellness concepts. Participants were least confident (33%) in the ability to support the next generation culturally (language, stories, etc). These results comport with anecdotal data that AI/AN concepts of health and wellness should be co-developed with AI/AN cultural leaders and community members. Future implications for academic partnerships are discussed.

In their own words: Success stories from The Great Lakes Native American Research Center for Health.

In 2009, the Great Lakes Native American Research Center for Health (GLNARCH) set out to generate a promotional video that highlights the successes of the program. Ten GLNARCH interns were interviewed and filmed for participation in the promotional video using a documentary production style. During the editing and transcription process, interviewer responses were noted for relevance to theoretical frameworks--specifically, tribal critical race theory, mentoring, and cultural compatibility--which guided GLNARCH program design. Quotations were transcribed to illustrate these themes. Though the interviews were not intended as a formal qualitative analysis, powerful narratives that are relevant to participatory research emerged. The emergence of narratives that align with relevant theoretical frameworks suggests a novel methodology for a culturally responsive, participatory reporting system.