AzTrials
AzTrials

Parkinson' DiseasePAHU2NCT07808606

Parkinson's Improvement Activated by Hula Understanding (PAHU) - Part 2

A study testing hula in people with Parkinson' Disease, run by University of Hawaii at 1 site in United States.

Enrolling by invitation

Enrolling by invitation. The study team selects and invites participants, usually from an existing group of patients.

Sites and contacts
Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

if hula can help quality of life, well being, balance and overall motor symptoms for individuals with Parkinson's disease. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Parkinson' Disease
What is being tested?
hula
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
40 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
4 Dec 2025to 31 Jul 2027
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Primary diagnosis of idiopathic PD confirmed by a movement disorder specialist.
  • ≥ 18 years of age
  • Ability to provide informed consent
  • Ability to participate in an in-person 24-week hula program.
  • Ability to complete all 3 balance tests (4SST, FTSTS, Quantitative Romberg Force Plate Measurement)

Who cannot join

  • Presence of physical or mental health co-morbid conditions that, in the investigator's opinion, could limit the subject's ability to participate in the clinical trial or to comply with follow-up requirements, or impact the scientific soundness of the clinical trial results.
  • Drug or alcohol dependence that might interfere with safe participation, based on opinion of the PI.
  • Inability to attend in-person hula classes and study visits at QMC.
  • Patients with high fall risk.
  • Contraindications for physical activity and/or hula classes specifically.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

United States1 site
  • The Queen's Medical Center

    Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813

Other trials in United States

About this study

if hula can help quality of life, well being, balance and overall motor symptoms for individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Read the detailed description

3.1 OVERALL STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS This is a prospective cohort study that will investigate the efficacy of a 12-week group hula program for individuals with PD. Participants will be randomized to either a control or intervention group.

Twelve weeks after the baseline visit, participants in the control group will receive 12 weeks of the group hula program. The intervention group will begin the hula intervention at week 1 of the program and then go on to receive an additional 12 weeks of classes for a total of 24 weeks of the hula intervention. From week 14-26 the two hula classes will be held separately: one class for the control group and one for the intervention group.

The hula classes will be delivered in a group setting at QMC and will be led by wxperienced kumu. The hula program will consist of hula classes that will be for an hour, once a week for 3 months (a total of 12 classes). The hula program that was developed and tailored for individuals with PD in the PAHU study will be utilized.

Table 1. PAHU Hula Program Class Overview Phase Duration Exercises Goals/Benefits Grounding 5 min Breath work Promotes mindfulness, awareness of breathing and posture Cultural protocol 2-5 min Oli (chant) Encourages use of various pitches, breath, and vocal strengthening Warm-up (with music) 5-10 min Seated stretching of neck, limbs and trunk Engages muscles, loosens rigidity Song: Verse 1 20-25 min Standing hula or hula noho (seated) Reinforces movements + balance and activates dual tasking (singing and dancing) Water break 2-5 min Re-focuses attention to mind and body Song: Verse 2 20-25 min Standing hula or hula noho (seated) Prompts recall of 1st verse and steps Cool-down 5-10 min Sing mele (song) with options to sit, stand, or walk around space Provides chance for socialization, smiling, and eye-contact amongst group

If participants provide additional consent, video recordings that may contain identifiable features (e.g., their faces) will be collected from hula classes and study visits. The purpose of these videos is for future marketing, dissemination, and sharing of results but the content of the videos will not be used directly for research purposes.

6.2. STUDY VISIT SCHEDULE This study will involve 3 in-person research visits: baseline visit, follow-up visit 1 (week 12-14) and follow-up visit 2 (week 26-28).

6.2.1. Baseline Data Collection The research team staff will assist with informed consent and collect baseline data: demographic and medical history. The research associates will then schedule the baseline visit with the participant.

Demographics (collected from subject directly; medical records may be accessed for items the subject is not able to answer)

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Self-identified race/ethnicity
  • Detail of Lineage
  • Religious affiliation
  • Marital Status
  • Highest level of education
  • Work status
  • Household income
  • Health insurance
  • Type of residence
  • Island of residence
  • Zip code Clinical Data (via medical records, patient's providers, and patients)
  • Year of first symptoms (as confirmed by history obtained by the physician)
  • PD diagnosis
  • Time to diagnosis
  • Diagnostic features/Criteria
  • Motor symptoms
  • Ambulatory/axial difficulties
  • Side of body with initial symptoms
  • Comorbidities
  • Medications
  • Advanced treatment
  • Ancillary services

6.2.2. Baseline Visit At the baseline visit, the research team staff will assist with the completion of the QoL questionnaires as the subject has not yet been randomized.

The following activities will be performed in the following order:

  • Review and completion of informed consent. Written informed consent may be completed on hard copy in-person or remotely (see Appendix A).
  • Assignment of subject ID number. Research team member will enter ID into enrollment log.
  • Gathering of demographic and medical history information.
  • Completion of HRQoL questionnaires (PDQ-39, WEMWBS-14, SEMCD-6, MDS-NMS--Q, VHI-10)- any member of the research team.
  • Completion of the UPDRS-III by a fellowship trained movement disorder specialist (Dr. Bruno or Dr. Gao).
  • Completion of movement/balance measures (FOG-Q, 4SST, FTSTS, Quantitative Romberg Force Plate test) by Michael Yee, MS.

6.2.3. Follow-up Visits 1 (Week 12-14) \& 2 (Week 26-28) At follow-up visits, only those who are blinded to the subject's study arm will administer measures.

The following activities will be performed:

  • Completion of QoL questionnaires (PDQ-39, WEMWBS-14, SEMCD-6, MDS-NMS-Q, VHI-10) - Dr. Bruno, Dr. Gao or Michael Yee, MS.
  • Completion of the UPDRS-III by a fellowship trained movement disorder specialist (Dr. Bruno or Dr. Gao).
  • Completion of movement/balance measures (FOG-Q, FSST, FTSST, Quantitative Romberg Force Plate test) by Michael Yee, MS.
  1. STATISTICAL METHODS A. Power/Sample Size Considerations Since this is an exploratory pilot study, investigators have no sample size estimate. Investigators will collect data on approximately 30-40 participants. As such, the analysis is descriptive, and there is no statistical hypothesis to prove.
  2. Statistical Analysis Plan Designed as a feasibility pilot study, our recruitment goal (30-40 participants enrolled) is pragmatic and based on a combination of factors, including timeline and availability of space. Although not properly powered, investigators will compare motor and non-motor measures.

Investigators will use descriptive statistics to evaluate recruitment, retention and resource utilization data. The data will be stored and organized in Microsoft Excel. Investigators will use descriptive statistics to describe the cohort.

Being tested
hula
Keywords
hula, HrQOL
Medical subject headings
Parkinson Disease

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • hulaBehavioural

    one hour/week hula class tailored to Parkinson's

Study groups in NCT07808606
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
InterventionActive comparator24 weeks of hula
Receives: Behavioral: hula
delayed control interventionOtherdelayed start hula, for the second 12 weeks
Receives: Behavioral: hula

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39)

    Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) is a commonly used 39-item scale to measure Helath related quality of life for patients with Parkinson's disease.The PDQ-39 ranges from 0 (lowest score, best quality of life) to 100 (highest score, worst quality of life). Higher the score, the worse outcome.

    Measured: prior to intervetion, 12 weeks, 24 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted9 Sep 2026
  2. Study start4 Dec 2025
  3. Primary completion31 Jul 2026
  4. Study completion31 Jul 2027 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
delayed start
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
40 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07808606
Sponsor's protocol ID
RA-2025-303
Acronym
PAHU2
Status last verified
Sep 2026
First submitted
14 Dec 2025
Last updated
9 Sep 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: Deidentified demographics, basline and 12 weeks as well as 24 weeks primary outcome data will be shared.

Publications

  • Kaholokula JK, Look M, Mabellos T, Ahn HJ, Choi SY, Sinclair KA, Wills TA, Seto TB, de Silva M. A Cultural Dance Program Improves Hypertension Control and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Native Hawaiians: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Ann Behav Med. 2021 Oct 4;55(10):1006-1018. doi: 10.1093/abm/kaaa127.

    PubMed 33677520
  • Sharp K, Hewitt J. Dance as an intervention for people with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2014 Nov;47:445-56. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.09.009. Epub 2014 Sep 28.

    PubMed 25268548
  • Ernst M, Folkerts AK, Gollan R, Lieker E, Caro-Valenzuela J, Adams A, Cryns N, Monsef I, Dresen A, Roheger M, Eggers C, Skoetz N, Kalbe E. Physical exercise for people with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023 Jan 5;1(1):CD013856. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013856.pub2.

    PubMed 36602886
  • LeWitt PA, Chaudhuri KR. Unmet needs in Parkinson disease: Motor and non-motor. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2020 Nov;80 Suppl 1:S7-S12. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2020.09.024. Epub 2020 Dec 19.

    PubMed 33349582
  • GBD 2016 Parkinson's Disease Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of Parkinson's disease, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. Lancet Neurol. 2018 Nov;17(11):939-953. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30295-3. Epub 2018 Oct 1.

    PubMed 30287051
  • Bruno MK, Matsunaga M, Krening E, Nakagawa K, Chen JJ, Seto T, Gao F, Tanner C, Ross GW. Racial disparities in hospitalization characteristics among Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders and Asian American subgroups with Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2024 Apr;121:106018. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2024.106018. Epub 2024 Feb 2.

    PubMed 38359475

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing hula in people with Parkinson' Disease, run by University of Hawaii at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: enrolling by invitation, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) (time frame: prior to intervetion, 12 weeks, 24 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07808606, which also lists 6 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Sep 2026.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in