A program for health promotion in Alaska native community: A case os strategic planning and community collaboration

In this paper, we describe a health promotion initiative in a native community in Alaska. The Yupik ethnic group lives in isolation in Western Alaska and has poor access to ublic services, as well as health problems related to lifestyle. The "Healthy Living Through a Healthy Lifestyle" project was based on the strategic planning of health services and on the implementation of health promotion initiatives in a settlement of this ethnic group. For this, it was organized a committee of community members, service professionals and University researchers. It included also two community health mediators to facilitate families' access to public services. The program emphasizes cultural adaptation of contents, collaboration between researchers and participants and community involvement in the design, implementation and evaluation of the program.