The Veituberi Approach Transforming RHD Through Patient Leadership and Lived Experience

first_page Download PDF settings Order Article Reprints Font Type: Arial Georgia Verdana Font Size: Aa Aa Aa Line Spacing:    Column Width:    Background: Open AccessAbstract The Veituberi Approach Transforming RHD Through Patient Leadership and Lived Experience † by Erini KalaErini Kala SciProfiles Scilit Preprints.org Google Scholar 1,*, Marika YalimaiwaiMarika Yalimaiwai SciProfiles Scilit Preprints.org Google Scholar 1, Maria MowMaria Mow SciProfiles Scilit Preprints.org Google Scholar 2, Jimaima Kailawadoko-MatanaicakeJimaima Kailawadoko-Matanaicake SciProfiles Scilit Preprints.org Google Scholar 2 and Joseph KadoJoseph Kado SciProfiles Scilit Preprints.org Google Scholar 3 1 Heart Heroes Fiji, Suva, Fiji 2 Cure Kids Fiji Rheumatic Heart Disease Support Programme, Cure Kids Fiji, Suva, Fiji 3 Pacific Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) Program, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. † Presented at the 22nd Lancefield International Symposium on Streptococci and Streptococcal Diseases, Brisbane, Australia, 1–5 June 2025. Proceedings 2025, 124(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025124014 Published: 14 August 2025 (This article belongs to the Proceedings of The 22nd Lancefield International Symposium on Streptococci and Streptococcal Diseases (LISSSD 2025)) Download keyboard_arrow_down Download PDF Download PDF with Cover Download XML Download Epub Versions Notes Keywords: rheumatic heart disease; patient leadership; veituberi 1. BackgroundRheumatic heart disease (RHD), a complication of untreated Strep A infections, is a major global health concern. In Fiji, sub-optimal treatment adherence due to limited access and awareness has led to an increasing RHD burden. Heart Heroes Fiji (HHF) developed veituberi, a culturally based approach combining nurturing support and motivational interviewing. This patient-led approach uses lived experience to improve engagement and adherence, while working with existing health, indigenous community structures, and youth networks. 2. ApproachVeituberi, meaning "to guide and assist," represents an indigenous concept emphasizing nurturing relationships and empowering growth. HHF implements veituberi through three interconnected pathways:Veisikovi: Advocates conduct structured home visits to build trust and allow space for confidential discussions about treatment, challenges, and family-specific solutions.Veitalanoa: Trained champions engage with newly diagnosed patients and families through culturally appropriate dialog to address fears, explain treatments, and share success stories.Veitauraki: Community-based workshops combine health education with cultural practices to facilitate talanoa sessions, skill-building exercises, and peer support.The implementation of this scheme relies on a network of champions, volunteers, and family members with shared lived experiences. This approach emphasizes cultural connection and the awareness of community wisdom. The program includes regular upskilling for volunteers, coordination with local healthcare providers, and feedback from community members to improve effectiveness. 3. SignificanceVeituberi demonstrates a culturally sensitive approach integrated with healthcare. Unlike Western medical approaches, veituberi builds trust by speaking the local language, both literally and figuratively. Veituberi uses existing community networks and seeks to build a sustainable system that can improve RHD prevention, management, health policies, and patient outcomes. Author ContributionsConceptualization, E.K. and J.K.; methodology, E.K.; software, E.K.; validation, M.M., J.K.-M. and J.K.; formal analysis, E.K.; investigation, E.K.; resources, E.K.; data curation, E.K. and M.Y.; writing—original draft preparation, E.K.; writing—review and editing, M.M., J.K.-M. and J.K.; visualization, J.K.; supervision, J.K.; project administration, E.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.FundingJ.K.-M.: E.K., M.Y. and M.M. are supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Cure Kids Fiji Rheumatic Heart Disease Support Programme. J.K. and the Pacific RHD Program is supported by the Australian Government and implemented by The Kids Research Institute Australia (an affiliate of the University of Western Australia).Institutional Review Board StatementNot applicable.Informed Consent StatementNot applicable.Data Availability StatementThe datasets presented in this article are not readily available because the data are part of an ongoing study. Requests to access the datasets should be directed to the corresponding author.Conflicts of InterestThe authors declare no conflict of interest.Disclaimer/Publisher's Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Share and Cite MDPI and ACS Style Kala, E.; Yalimaiwai, M.; Mow, M.; Kailawadoko-Matanaicake, J.; Kado, J. The Veituberi Approach Transforming RHD Through Patient Leadership and Lived Experience. Proceedings 2025, 124, 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025124014 AMA Style Kala E, Yalimaiwai M, Mow M, Kailawadoko-Matanaicake J, Kado J. The Veituberi Approach Transforming RHD Through Patient Leadership and Lived Experience. Proceedings. 2025; 124(1):14. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025124014 Chicago/Turabian Style Kala, Erini, Marika Yalimaiwai, Maria Mow, Jimaima Kailawadoko-Matanaicake, and Joseph Kado. 2025. "The Veituberi Approach Transforming RHD Through Patient Leadership and Lived Experience" Proceedings 124, no. 1: 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025124014 APA Style Kala, E., Yalimaiwai, M., Mow, M., Kailawadoko-Matanaicake, J., & Kado, J. (2025). The Veituberi Approach Transforming RHD Through Patient Leadership and Lived Experience. Proceedings, 124(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025124014 Article Metrics No No Article Access Statistics Multiple requests from the same IP address are counted as one view.