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Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Methodology for Establishing a Community-Wide Life Laboratory for Capturing Unobtrusive and Continuous Remote Activity and Health Data
Published on: July 27, 2018
Using Community-Based Participatory Research to Characterize Health and Lifestyle Behaviors of Montagnards, a
Sharon D Morrison1, S Sudha2, Kunga Denzongpa3
1Department of Public Health Education, University of North Carolina Greensboro, 437 Coleman Building, 1408 Walker Avenue, Greensboro, NC, 27402-6170, USA. sdmorri2@uncg.edu.
Abstract:
Montagnards, an indigenous multitribal refugee-origin population concentrated in North Carolina, remain an invisible, medically underserved, and socioeconomically underrepresented Asian American sub-group. Yet this group is resilient, with language diversity, rich cultural traditions and family caregiving in multigenerational households. Using community-based participatory research methods, we developed and administered a two-part survey to 144 Montagnard adults, documenting socioeconomic characteristics, health indicators and lifestyle behaviors. Forty-one percent of participants had no formal education, 76% had little/no English proficiency and 28% described having a very hard time paying their bills. Seventy-seven percent were overweight per BMI category, 79% had elevated blood pressure and 100% scored high for significant depressive symptoms. Participants reported high levels of physical inactivity and daily dietary intake of MSG. However, Montagnards reported limited tobacco and alcohol use, a diet of fresh vegetables and rice, and regular church attendance. These represent protective lifestyle behaviors and targets for culturally responsive health interventions.
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