Cultural mediation in health communication: leadership and health literacy strategies among the Baduy community in Indonesia

Introduction Indigenous populations continue to bear a disproportionate burden of preventable diseases, including maternal mortality, childhood stunting, and neglected tropical diseases such as snakebite envenoming. These persistent inequities undermine community resilience and pose broader challenges to global health security. Strengthening health literacy through culturally grounded leadership has been proposed as a key strategy to address these gaps. Methods This study employed a qualitative design conducted in April 2023 in Kanekes Village, Banten Province, Indonesia. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with seven purposively selected informants, including health workers, community leaders, a non-governmental organization (NGO) representative, and a Baduy mother. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in leadership and health communication practices. Results The findings reveal that health communication within the Baduy community is shaped by normative leadership structures and hierarchical governance systems. Effective communication is facilitated through behavioral modeling, strong interpersonal trust, and adaptive traditionalism, where customary values are maintained while selectively accommodating external influences. Discussion Based on these findings, the study proposes a four-level health communication model that integrates indigenous leadership characteristics with culturally sensitive messaging strategies. This model offers a context-specific framework to improve health literacy, reduce health disparities, and contribute to strengthening global health security, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.