The Status of Native Hawaiian Health

Since contact with Western civilization in 1778, Native Hawaiian culture, education, socioeconomic status and, most alarmingly, health status has declined (Blaisdell, 1995, OHA Health Data book, Takenaka, 1995). Current social indicators show that Native Hawaiians are socio-economically disadvantaged when compared with other ethnic groups in Hawai'i and suffer disproportionately from morbidity and mortality.

Morbidity in the Native Hawaiian population is overwhelmingly caused by changeable behavioral risk factors such as diet, obesity, drinking, smoking and sedentary lifestyle. Despite overall improvements in mortality since 1900, research indicates mortality rates for Native Hawaiians between 1980 and 1990 have worsened for both full and part-Hawaiians (Look and Braun, 1995).

A second contributor to the incidence and severity of disease among Native Hawaiians is poor access to health care. Language barriers, limited income, lack of health insurance, and lack of culturally compatible care are barriers for Native Hawaiian patients.

Native Hawaiians continue to be underrepresented in the field of medicine. As of 1999, only 5.5% of practicing physicians in the state of Hawai'i are Hawaiian. Native Hawaiian physicians, who have the values and the cultural sensitivity to effectively communicate with Native Hawaiians, are able to impart information about good health habits and to provide appropriate and acceptable health care. If Native Hawaiian physicians can make such an impact on health care, why aren't more Native Hawaiians in the field of medicine? The NHCOE is an effort to address this question.

 
Interested in information about Native Hawaiians? Check out the Native Hawaiian Databook that contains information on population, vital statistics, housing, land, education, human services, health, crime, and income and development.