Designing Technology to Facilitate Participation in Health Behavior Interventions among Underserved Populations: A CBPR Approach to Reduce Health Disparities and Address Changing Norms since COVID-19

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Project Summary Life, as we know it, has changed due to COVID-19. Existing health disparities among underserved communities were exacerbated. Latinos and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) disproportionately experience disparities in health, even when compared to other minority populations. Both populations have heart disease, cancer, and diabetes as leading causes of death; and both Latinos and NHPIs have high rates of obesity. As we begin to recover from the pandemic, we must consider the intersection of continued health disparities, new social norms and attitudes, and new patterns of health behavior. The overarching goal of this project is to reduce health disparities among Latinos and Native NHPIs, considering new health behavior patterns, social norms, and increased technology use related to COVID-19. The research project specific aims are to: (1) conduct key informant interviews and focus groups among Latinos and NHPIs, (2) develop and implement a community health and health behavior survey, and (3) based on community feedback [from aims 1 and 2], co-design, develop and test new technology, in collaboration with the CSUSM Innovation Hub, that is meaningful and responsive to community needs and preferences. Additionally, with commitment to training students underrepresented in biomedical research, we were purposeful in outlining research capacity specific aims. They are, to: (1) enhance the research capacity of students underrepresented in biomedical research, especially towards training future independent health disparity researchers and scholars, and (2) enhance the research capacity, sustainability, and excellence of CSUSM through meaningful collaborations between the principle investigator and the CSUSM Innovation Hub, OTRES (for recruitment of underrepresented students), and other collaborators and community partners. We will use a Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach and formative research to co-design, develop and test new technology, an mHealth smartphone application, based on community insights. Components will likely include strategies to improve obesity- related health behaviors and mental health. Research capacity: We will evaluate the demographics and number of students involved in research, including student outcomes (e.g., posters, papers, and graduate school application/acceptance rates). We will also evaluate attitudes, satisfaction, trust, and perceived impact of the collaboration. The proposed research lays the foundation for purposeful and progressive funding (i.e., this R16, STTR, R21, R01) that will advance the science and innovation in health disparities research.