Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Let’s Move for Pacific Islander Communities: an Evidence-Based Intervention to Increase Physical Activity

  • Published:
Journal of Cancer Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bardia A, Hartmann LC, Vachon CM, Vierkant RA, Wang AH, Olson JE, . . . Cerhan JR (2006) Recreational physical activity and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer based on hormone receptor status. Arch Intern Med 166(22):2478–2483

  2. Bianchini F, Kaaks R, Vainio H (2002) Overweight, obesity, and cancer risk. Lancet Oncol 3(9):565–574

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Braun KL, Nguyen TT, Tanjasiri SP, Campbell J, Heiney SP, Brandt HM, . . . Coe K (2012) Operationalization of community-based participatory research principles: assessment of the National Cancer Institute’s Community Network Programs. Am J Public Health 102(6):1195–1203

  4. Brawley LR, Rejeski WJ, King AC (2003) Promoting physical activity for older adults: the challenges for changing behavior. Am J Prev Med 25(3 Suppl 2):172–183

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. California Health Interview Survey (2009) Retrieved October 10, 2014, from University of California, Los Angeles, California Health Interview Survey Website http://www.chis.ucla.edu

  6. California Health Interview Survey (2012) Retrieved October 10, 2014, from University of California, Los Angeles, California Health Interview Survey Website http://www.chis.ucla.edu

  7. Glazer NL, Lyass A, Esliger DW, Blease SJ, Freedson PS, Massaro JM, . . . Vasan RS (2013) Sustained and shorter bouts of physical activity are related to cardiovascular health. Med Sci Sports Exerc 45(1):109–115

  8. Holmes MD, Chen WY, Feskanich D, Kroenke CH, Colditz GA (2005) Physical activity and survival after breast cancer diagnosis. J Am Med Assoc 293(20):2479–2486

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Israel BA, Eng E, Schulz A, Parker EA (2005) Introduction to methods for CBPR for health. Methods Community Based Participatory Res Health 3–26

  10. Kreuter MW, Lukwago SN, Bucholtz RD, Clark EM, Sanders-Thompson V (2003) Achieving cultural appropriateness in health promotion programs: targeted and tailored approaches. Health Educ Behav 30(2):133–146

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Meyerhardt JA, Giovannucci EL, Holmes MD, Chan AT, Chan JA, Colditz GA, Fuchs CS (2006) Physical activity and survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis. J Clin Oncol 24(22):3527–3534

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Meyerhardt JA, Heseltine D, Niedzwiecki D, Hollis D, Saltz LB, Mayer RJ, . . . Hantel A (2006b) Impact of physical activity on cancer recurrence and survival in patients with stage III colon cancer: findings from CALGB 89803. J Clin Oncol 24(22):3535–3541

  13. Miller BA, Chu KC, Hankey BF, Ries LA (2008) Cancer incidence and mortality patterns among specific Asian and Pacific Islander populations in the U.S. Cancer Causes Control 19(3):227–256

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Moy KL, Sallis JF, David KJ (2010) Health indicators of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders in the United States. J Community Health 35(1):81–92

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Moy K, Sallis J, Ice C, Kelley T, Lepule T (2010b) Physical activity correlates for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in mainland United States. Poster presented at He Huliau, Waikiki, HI (May 2010)

  16. Noar SM, Benac CN, Harris MS (2007) Does tailoring matter? Meta-analytic review of tailored print health behavior change interventions. Psychol Bull 133(4):673–693

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Sharby N (2005) Health and behavior, the interplay of biological, behavioral and societal influences. J Phys Ther Educ 19(2):71

    Google Scholar 

  18. Tanjasiri SP, Tran JH (2008) Community capacity for cancer control collaboration: weaving an Islander network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training for Pacific Islanders in Southern California. Cancer Detect Prev 32(1):37–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. U.S. Census Bureau (2010) 2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved from http://factfinder2.census.gov

  20. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics (2012) Vital and health statistics summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2011. Department of Health and Human Services, Hyattsville, p 206

    Google Scholar 

  21. Vucenik I, Stains JP (2012) Obesity and cancer risk: evidence, mechanisms, and recommendations. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1271(1):37–43

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Ward E, Jemal A, Cokkinides V, Singh GK, Cardinez C, Ghafoor A, Thun M (2004) Cancer disparities by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. CA Cancer J Clin 54(2):78–93

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Whitt-Glover MC, Ham SA, Yancey AK (2011) Instant Recess®: a practical tool for increasing physical activity during the school day. Prog Community Health Partnersh 5(3):289–297

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Yancey AK, Lewis LB, Guinyard JJ, Sloane DC, Nascimento LM, Galloway-Gilliam L, . . . McCarthy WJ (2006) Putting promotion into practice: the African Americans building a legacy of health organizational wellness program. Health Promot Pract 7(3 Suppl):233S–246S

  25. Yancey AK, McCarthy WJ, Taylor WC, Merlo A, Gewa C, Weber MD, Fielding JE (2004) The Los Angeles Lift Off: a sociocultural environmental change intervention to integrate physical activity into the workplace. Prev Med 38(6):848–856

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Yancey AK (2010) Instant recess: building a fit nation 10 minutes at a time. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Science, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College Boulevard, Fullerton, CA, 92831, USA

    Mandy LaBreche, Harold Custodio & Sora Park Tanjasiri

  2. Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Garden Grove, CA, USA

    Ashley Cheri, Mary Anne Foo & Melevesi Fifita Talavou

  3. Guam Communications Network, Long Beach, CA, USA

    Cleo Carlos Fex, Annette Orne & Lola Sablan-Santos

  4. Empowering Pacific Islander Communities, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Jonathan Tana Lepule

  5. Tongan Community Service Center, Special Services for Groups, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Vanessa Tui’one May

  6. Pacific Islander Health Partnership, Santa Ana, CA, USA

    Jane Ka’ala Pang & Victor Kaiwi Pang

  7. Samoan National Nurses Association, Long Beach, CA, USA

    Dorothy Schmidt-Vaivao

  8. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Zul Surani

  9. Union of Pan Asian Communities, San Diego, CA, USA

    Tupou Toilolo

  10. Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, USA

    Paula Healani Palmer

Authors
  1. Mandy LaBreche
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ashley Cheri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Harold Custodio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Cleo Carlos Fex
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mary Anne Foo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jonathan Tana Lepule
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Vanessa Tui’one May
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Annette Orne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Jane Ka’ala Pang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Victor Kaiwi Pang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Lola Sablan-Santos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Dorothy Schmidt-Vaivao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Zul Surani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Melevesi Fifita Talavou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. Tupou Toilolo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  16. Paula Healani Palmer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  17. Sora Park Tanjasiri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mandy LaBreche.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

LaBreche, M., Cheri, A., Custodio, H. et al. Let’s Move for Pacific Islander Communities: an Evidence-Based Intervention to Increase Physical Activity. J Canc Educ 31, 261–267 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-015-0875-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-015-0875-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation