Research Seminar: Waning Moon: A Community Engaged Integrative Group Medical Visit for Menopause Developed with and for American Indian/Alaska Native Women

Waning Moon is a community-engaged integrative medical group visit developed with and for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women to address menopausal health needs. A Community Advisory Board (CAB) of midlife AI/AN women co‑designed the nurse‑delivered intervention, which blends evidence‑based integrative and conventional education and experiential self‑care practices. Participants initially reported limited menopause knowledge, barriers to care, and strong preferences for Indigenous and natural medicine. Following the sessions, women reported improved symptom knowledge and self-efficacy and affirmed the group format as supportive and culturally aligned. Current NIH-funded work a feasibility study in collaboration with a CAB and leadership advisory board (LAB).

Lisa Taylor-Swanson, PhD, LAc, Dipl OM (NCBAHM) is a licensed acupuncturist and women’s health researcher dedicated to advancing health through equitable, evidence-based care. She is a tenured Associate Professor in the University of Utah’s College of Nursing and has developed three menopause-focused interventions. The first, NIH-funded MENOGAP, is a group medical visit with conventional and integrative health education and group acupuncture therapy. She then partnered with community members to culturally adapt MENOGAP, creating two tailored programs: (1) Mujeres en Menopausia in collaboration with Latina Community Health Workers, and (2) Waning Moon, an NIH-funded program developed with American Indian and Alaska Native women. Dr. Taylor-Swanson also serves as Multiple Principal Investigator (MPI) for a decentralized, confirmatory trial of acupuncture for veterans with Gulf War Illness, funded by the Department of Defense.

The Osher Center for Integrative Health hosts monthly research seminars that are open to the research and clinical community at large. Seminars are held from September to June and are generally virtual. Presentations cover a wide range of topics relating to integrative health, many with a focus on integrative health equity.

Research Seminars are organized by Osher research faculty, Ariana Thompson-Lastad, PhD. Please contact Julia Wu ([email protected]) with any questions.

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