Using Talanoa, a Pan Pacific Indigenous Approach, To Identify Solutions to Public Health Issues

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Equity
• Indigenous Studies

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic highlighted health disparities in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities.
• Existing public health policies were insufficient for NHPI needs, leading to high case rates and low vaccination.
• A partnership formed between Hawai'i State Department of Health (HDOH), medical providers, and NHPI organizations to address these issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the reasons behind low COVID-19 vaccine uptake in NHPI communities.
• To identify effective, community-specific solutions for improving vaccination rates.
• To evaluate the utility of Indigenous research methods within a cultural safety framework.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an Indigenous qualitative interview method, Talanoa, within a cultural safety framework.
• Employed Talanoa after Western data-gathering approaches proved inadequate.
• Focused on gathering data directly from NHPI communities through culturally sensitive methods.

Main Results:

• The Talanoa method, embedded in cultural safety, yielded richer data compared to conventional approaches.
• Identified community-grounded solutions tailored to the specific needs of NHPI populations.
• Facilitated the development of sustainable, trusting partnerships between health organizations and the community.

Conclusions:

• Indigenous methodologies like Talanoa are effective for understanding and addressing health disparities in marginalized communities.
• Cultural safety is crucial for successful data gathering and intervention design in NHPI populations.
• Collaborative, community-centered approaches are essential for building trust and improving health outcomes.