‘Ike Hawai‘i – A Training Program for Working with Native Hawaiians

Native Hawaiians in Hawai‘i experience multiple health and social problems and are highly represented in the child welfare system, in particular. There is increasing attention to the argument that some problems derive from historic trauma. The importance of the relationship of history to contemporary problems was a fundamental premise in the development of a training model for social work students. This paper describes ‘Ike Hawai‘i, a training model intended to improve the cultural competency of social work students working with Native Hawaiian clients in the public child welfare system. There are six main elements of this training: 1) Self-Disclosure, 2) Hawaiian Worldview, 3) Grief and Loss, 4) Hawaiian Historical Events, with a focus on the Mahele and the overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy, 5) Current Day Strengths and Challenges, and 6) Cultural Ways of Healing and Practical Suggestions for Working with Native Hawaiians. Evaluative scores and comments from students indicate that the training program has been found to be useful and helpful in their work with Native Hawaiian clients. Such a model, with its emphasis on experiential learning, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and service implications, may have applicability for other populations and, in particular, other native peoples

Why Are Native Hawaiians Underrepresented in Hawai‘i's Older Adult Population? Exploring Social and Behavioral Factors of Longevity

Native Hawaiians comprise 24.3% of Hawai‘i's population, but only 12.6% of the state's older adults. Few published studies have compared health indicators across ethnicities for the state's older adult population or focused on disparities of Native Hawaiian elders. The current study examines data from two state surveillance programs, with attention to cause of death and social-behavioral factors relevant to elders. Findings reveal that Native Hawaiians have the largest years of productive life lost and the lowest life expectancy, when compared to the state's other major ethnic groups. Heart disease and cancer are leading causes of premature mortality. Native Hawaiian elders are more likely to report behavioral health risks such as smoking and obesity, live within/below 100–199% of the poverty level, and find cost a barrier to seeking care. Indicated is the need for affordable care across the lifespan and health services continuum. Future research might explain behavioral factors as influenced by social determinants, including historical trauma on Native Hawaiian longevity

Native Hawaiian Grandparents: Exploring Benefits and Challenges in the Caregiving Experience

Background: Increasingly, U.S. grandparents are raising their grandchildren. In Hawai‘i, 12% of Native Hawaiian grandparents live with grandchildren, compared to 7% of grandparents in all races combined in the state, and to 3.6% of grandparents in the total U.S. Although strong family-centric cultural values may provide Native Hawaiian grandparents with caregiving benefits, a generally poor health profile suggests they may also face challenges in this role. In this study, we talked to Native Hawaiian grandparents raising grandchildren (GRG) about the benefits and challenges of their caregiving experiences. Method: Three focus groups were conducted with Native Hawaiian grandparents (n=33) in Hawai‘i who were 55 years of age or older and caregivers to their grandchildren. Findings: The most prevalent themes voiced by grandparents spoke of the benefits of being a grandparent caregiver (the greatest being the experience of mutual, unconditional love) and the enjoyment of passing on “life lessons” to their grandchildren. Grandparents identified concrete examples of what they provided to grandchildren and also spoke of their role in transmission of Native Hawaiian cultural values, practices, and stories to their grandchildren. A number of challenges pertaining to grandparent caregiving were identified along with needed services—respite care, financial assistance, children’s programs, and information on grandparent legal rights. Despite these challenges, grandparents preferred to seek help from extended family rather than from formal supports. Our results support previous research on a number of universal GRG needs and services (i.e., legal rights of GRG) but also suggest potential directions to meeting the needs of Native Hawaiian GRG that are responsive to indigenous cultural values and preferences. Given the number of unmet needs expressed, further research is needed to design interventions for this population of grandparents raising grandchildren

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Native Hawaiians comprise 24.3% of Hawai'i's population, but only 12.6% of the state's older adults. Few published studies have compared health indicators across ethnicities for the state's older adult population or focused on disparities of Native Hawaiian elders. The current study examines data from two state surveillance programs, with attention to cause of death and socialbehavioral factors relevant to elders. Findings reveal that Native Hawaiians have the largest years of productive life lost and the lowest life expectancy, when compared to the state's other major ethnic groups. Heart disease and cancer are leading causes of premature mortality. Native Hawaiian elders are more likely to report behavioral health risks such as smoking and obesity, live within/below 100-199% of the poverty level, and find cost a barrier to seeking care. Indicated is the need for affordable care across the lifespan and health services continuum. Future research might explain behavioral factors as influenced by social determinants, including historical trauma on Native Hawaiian longevity

A systematic review of culturally focused interventions for Native Hawaiian youth

Native Hawaiians are a resilient nation with a rich history and culture with specific health and wellbeing needs and disparities, particularly for youth. This study presents a review of published literature focusing on culturally focused interventions for Native Hawaiian youth to better understand key components, service gaps, and concerns that may improve future health interventions tailored to Native Hawaiian youth that protect and promote positive health outcomes, a sense of agency, and self-determination. The purpose of this article is to (a) present a review of the literature focusing on culturally focused interventions as it relates to health and wellbeing of Native Hawaiian youth and (b) identify limitations and gaps to promote future research. This systematic review focuses on 19 distinct culturally focused interventions geared toward Native Hawaiian youth. The findings provide a summary of culturally focused interventions geared toward Native Hawaiian youth including interventions’ aims, components (youth participants description and methods), outcomes, and cultural components, while exposing gaps in the literature.  Most interventions were education and substance use/misuse prevention oriented, on the island of O‘ahu, geared toward older youth, and qualitative in nature. The cultural components utilized in the interventions varied in description and type. All of the studies reported positive results to support the effectiveness of the intervention. This review enriches the field of study for researchers (past, present, and future) by building awareness, encouraging collaboration, and identifying where culturally focused intervention efforts are underdeveloped or nonexistent to provide direction for future interventions

Participation of Minorities in Cancer Research

Abstract available at publisher's web site