A Model of Stakeholder Engagement with American Indians and Alaska Natives from the Native-CHART Study.

This article focuses on the Center for Native American Health’s (CNAH) collaborative stakeholder engagement model used in the Native-Controlling Hypertension and Risks through Technology (Native-CHART) study, which aimed to improve blood pressure control and reduce cardiovascular disease disparities among American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander populations. The CNAH employed a multi-level “Circles of Involvement” framework grounded in Tribal values to engage diverse stakeholders—including tribal leaders, health providers, researchers, and community members—in research planning, implementation, and culturally appropriate dissemination. The study highlights challenges such as historical mistrust, systemic racism, and COVID-19–related shifts to virtual engagement, while emphasizing the importance of early and sustained stakeholder involvement to enhance research relevance, knowledge translation, and community empowerment. The CNAH model offers a culturally informed approach that may guide other universities and communities in fostering equitable partnerships and effective dissemination in Indigenous health research.