Developing culturally-responsive health promotion: insights from cultural experts

Culturally-responsive health promotion initiatives are important to the creation of health equity for Indigenous and minority populations and these initiatives are complex and time-intensive to establish. The knowledge and resources of cultural experts are often pivotal in programs, yet there is minimal research on effective collaborations. The KāHOLO Project demonstrated strong success in the management of uncontrolled hypertension in the high-risk Indigenous population through a 6-month program based on the Hawaiian cultural dance of hula. This program was developed utilizing a community-based participatory research approach and implemented by cultural experts. To better understand the effectiveness of the research endeavor and program, six experienced hula experts and educators who delivered the community-based program were interviewed. As skilled and trusted cultural experts they set a safe supportive learning environment that promoted health and cultural goals. They articulated it was important that the program maintained cultural priorities and integrity. Through the methodical establishment of mutual respect, cooperation on research protocols and requirements was achieved. The development of cultural experts as health allies offers important inroads to the inclusion of minority and Indigenous cultures in health programming.