Little Earth Strong: A Community-Level, Culturally Appropriate Diabetes Prevention Pilot Targeting Urban American Indians.

purposeThe purpose of this study was to develop a culturally appropriate, community-based diabetes prevention program, named Little Earth Strong, through partnership with an urban, Indigenous, American Indian community and determine its feasibility in lowering diabetes risks.

methodsUsing a community-based participatory research, community-level intervention approach, and after conducting a focus groups with key stakeholders (n = 20), a culturally appropriate health intervention was designed across six stages. This included providing nutrition and physical activity individual, family, and group counseling and conducting individual level biometric tests at a monthly Progress Powwow. Community participants (n = 69) included Indigenous individuals ages 18 to 64 years and their families residing in an urban American Indian housing organization.

resultsFindings included the project's feasibility, sustainability, and future needs. Lessons learned included the need the need to situate health interventions within Indigenous culture, engage multiple stakeholders, remain flexible and inclusive of all community members, address cultural concerns regarding biometric testing, and focus on specific ages and groups. The outcome variables included qualitative focus group data regarding feasibility and design and quantitative biometric data including hemoglobin A1C levels and weight in which a significant decrease in A1C values were found among womenConclusions: Little Earth Strong was both feasible and successful in decreasing A1C levels using a community-level approach, especially in high participators who attended most events. These results demonstrate the promise of diabetes prevention fitness and nutrition interventions that are collaboratively designed with the community.