Na Liko Noelo: a program to develop Native Hawaiian researchers

Area of Science:

• Health disparities research
• Indigenous health initiatives
• Community-based participatory research

Background:

• Native Hawaiians are underrepresented in health research.
• Concerns exist regarding non-native researchers' engagement with Native Hawaiian communities.
• There is a need for culturally relevant research training and mentorship for indigenous populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To increase research training and mentorship opportunities for Native Hawaiians.
• To address the underrepresentation of Native Hawaiians in health research.
• To foster community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles.

Main Methods:

• The 'Imi Hale program, funded by the National Cancer Institute, utilized CBPR principles.
• Enrolled 78 Native Hawaiian budding researchers (Na Liko Noelo) over 4 years.
• Provided training and opportunities to serve as investigators, research assistants, and mentors.

Main Results:

• 40 (68%) Na Liko Noelo participated in training.
• 28 (36%) served as investigators, 40 (51%) as research assistants, and 10 (13%) as mentors.
• A key challenge identified was time commitment due to competing obligations.

Conclusions:

• The 'Imi Hale program is developing a cadre of community-sensitive indigenous Hawaiian researchers.
• Program evaluation indicates strong acceptance and effectiveness in building research capacity.
• The initiative supports culturally appropriate cancer prevention and control research within the Native Hawaiian community.