title: Engaging Pacific Islanders in Research: Community Recommendations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health disparities continue to persist among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to understand the perspectives of community organizations in the Ulu Network on how researchers can collaborate with communities to promote community wellness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Key informant interviews and small group interviews were conducted with the leadership in the Ulu Network.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five themes were identified that highlight the importance of investing time and commitment to build authentic relationships, understanding the diversity and unique differences across Pacific communities, ensuring that communities receive direct and meaningful benefits, understanding the organizational capacity, and initiating the dialog early to ensure that community perspectives are integrated in every stage of research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increasing capacity of researchers, as well as community organizations, can help build toward a more equitable and meaningful partnership to enhance community wellness.
authors.forename: Jane J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chung-Do
authors.forename: Mele A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Look
authors.forename: Tricia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mabellos
authors.forename: Mililani
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trask-Batti
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: Marjorie K L Mala
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Mau
mesh_terms: D057191:Capacity Building; D019058:Community Networks; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000379:methods*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D044468:Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander