Healthy Living in the Pacific Islands: Results of a Focus Group Process to Identify Perceptions of Health and Collaboration in the U.S-Affiliated Pacific Islands

A focus group process was used to gather data on perceptions of health and community collaboration within 6 U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands as part of a process to encourage a community-based participatory approach to addressing community health issues and planning. The focus groups revealed Pacific Islanders' perceptions of health and key local health issues and elements of collaboration. The results were applied to a community-oriented planning process, resulting in the creation of a broad planning framework within which islands could implement their own activities. This approach shows potential for initiating future activities in which communities collaborate in the planning process.