Cultural Considerations in Developing Church-Based Programs to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities Among Samoans

Abstract

Our findings inform programming, and our consumer-oriented process serves as a model for others working with minority churches to reduce cancer health disparities.

Pacific Islanders’ perspectives on heart failure management

“…Given the complexities of heart failure care, building the capacity of family caregivers to meet the informational and tangibleinstrumental support needs of a heart failure patient could reduce the psychological distress caused by the illness as well as improve its management among Pacific Islanders. Other studies among Native Hawaiians and Samoans have also highlighted the importance of educating and marshalling the support of family members in chronic disease management and the training of assertiveness skills for patients and family members to communicate more effectively with their healthcare providers (58,59).…”

“…As several studies note, Samoans differentiate between palagi (Western illnesses) and ma'i Samoa (illnesses specific to Samoans) (58,69). The first category may be treated and cured through Western medicine; the second cannot and requires the intervention of a fofo or traditional healer (58).…”

“…As several studies note, Samoans differentiate between palagi (Western illnesses) and ma'i Samoa (illnesses specific to Samoans) (58,69). The first category may be treated and cured through Western medicine; the second cannot and requires the intervention of a fofo or traditional healer (58). It was unclear whether Samoans in our focus groups regarded heart failure as palagi or ma'i Samoa but they did imply that anything pertaining to the heart should be treated by a Western physician.…”

The National Cancer Institute’s Community Networks Program Initiative to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities: Outcomes and Lessons Learned

“…27–34 CBPR methods also informed the development of health education materials and interventions that were attractive to and welcomed by the community. 18,25,30,35–38 Many CNPs successfully employed community members in intervention delivery.…”

Leveraging Cultural Knowledge to Improve Diet and Health among Affiliated Pacific Islander Populations

“…29,30 For migrant Samoans, churches supplant villages as primary locations for socialization 31 and have potential for use as a venue to promote disease risk reduction. Studies have partnered with Samoan churches to successfully recruit participants, promote nutrition interventions, [31][32][33][34] and encourage use of mammography. 33 Focus groups conducted among Samoan participants in Hawaii selected through keyinformant referrals from Samoan community members 35 demonstrated that the church was an appropriate setting to address obesity.…”