title: Let's Move for Pacific Islander Communities: an Evidence-Based Intervention to Increase Physical Activity.
abstract: Pacific Islander (PI) populations of Southern California experience high obesity and low physical activity levels. Given PI's rich cultural ties, efforts to increase physical activity using a community-tailored strategy may motivate members in a more sustainable manner. In this paper, we (1) detail the program adaptation methodology that was utilized to develop the Weaving an Islander Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training (WINCART) Center's PI Let's Move Program, a culturally tailored program aimed to increase physical activity levels among members of PI organizations in Southern California, and (2) share the program's pilot evaluation results on individual and organizational changes. The WINCART Center applied the National Cancer Institute's program adaptation guidelines to tailor the evidence-based Instant Recess program to fit the needs of PIs. The end product, the PI Let's Move Program, was piloted in 2012 with eight PI organizations, reaching 106 PI adults. At baseline, 52 % of participants reported that they were not physically active, with the average number of days engaged in medium-intensity physical activity at 2.09 days/week. After the 2-month program, participants increased the number of days that they engaged in medium-intensity physical activity from 2.09 to 2.90 days/week. Post-pilot results found that 82 % of participants reported intentions to engage in physical activity for at least the next 6 months. At baseline, only one organization was currently implementing a physical activity program, and none had implemented an evidence-based physical activity program tailored for PIs. After the 2-month timeframe, despite varying levels of capacity, all eight organizations were able to successfully implement the program. In conclusion, results from our program provide evidence that disparity populations, such as PIs, can be successfully reached through programs that are culturally tailored to both individuals and their community organizations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College Boulevard, Fullerton, CA, 92831, USA. alabreche@fullerton.edu.
authors.forename: Mandy
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8619-8377
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: LaBreche
authors.affiliation: Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Garden Grove, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cheri
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College Boulevard, Fullerton, CA, 92831, USA.
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Custodio
authors.affiliation: Guam Communications Network, Long Beach, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Cleo Carlos
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Fex
authors.affiliation: Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Garden Grove, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Mary Anne
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Foo
authors.affiliation: Empowering Pacific Islander Communities, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan Tana
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lepule
authors.affiliation: Tongan Community Service Center, Special Services for Groups, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Vanessa Tui'one
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: May
authors.affiliation: Guam Communications Network, Long Beach, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orne
authors.affiliation: Pacific Islander Health Partnership, Santa Ana, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jane Ka'ala
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: Pacific Islander Health Partnership, Santa Ana, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Victor Kaiwi
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: Guam Communications Network, Long Beach, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Lola
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sablan-Santos
authors.affiliation: Samoan National Nurses Association, Long Beach, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Dorothy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schmidt-Vaivao
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Zul
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Surani
authors.affiliation: Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Garden Grove, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Melevesi Fifita
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Talavou
authors.affiliation: Union of Pan Asian Communities, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Tupou
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toilolo
authors.affiliation: Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Paula Healani
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College Boulevard, Fullerton, CA, 92831, USA.
authors.forename: Sora Park
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Tanjasiri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D018672:Community Health Planning; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D015444:Exercise; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D044468:Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander / Q000193:education*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010139:Pacific Islands; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: Cancer health disparities; Community-based participatory research; Health disparities; Pacific Islander; Physical activity