UC Merced Undergraduate Research Journal

Native Americans, as the indigenous people of North America, have a unique history and background in the United States and those living in remote, rural areas are particularly vulnerable to health disparities that impact their quality of life. While existing literature often focuses on these health disparities, gaps exist when considering how remote, rural environments can affect health promotion in Native American communities. To address this issue, a narrative review was conducted to examine interventions aimed at reaching rural Native Americans forhealth promotion. The review utilized credible studies published in reputable journals and a total of 12 articles were chosen for the final review. The selected studies were organized into main sections of key health disparities, culturally-relevant approaches, community-based participatory research, and ethical considerations. The review found that utilizing community-based participatory research can help create culturally tailored interventions by involving communitymembers in the research process. Further research is needed to focus on the differences between interventions in urban versus rural Native American communities to utilize appropriate approaches to health promotion based on setting. Overall, community-based participatory research has the potential for effective health promotion in rural Native American communities.