Book Review
E Ola Na Kini: The Health of the Hawaiians
Hishinuma E
2001;
Laurie D McCubbin
Educational Leadership and Counseling Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
In general, Special Journal Issues have a unique role to play in the field by serving the function of providing a penetrating as well as sweeping examination of major health issues affecting a population (in this case Native Hawaiians) that has not been thoroughly examined in the mainstream literature. This volume entitled 'The Health of Hawaiians' attempts to fill a gap in the scientific literature by presenting scholarly research, inclusive of community health issues and emphasizing culturally competent care in service to Native Hawaiians.
This publication is unique in that it reveals an emergent trajectory of research on Native Hawaiians conducted by Native Hawaiian scholars focused on the health and wellness of this indigenous community. Additionally, this collection of scholarly work demonstrates the value of combining the documentation of health disparities with insights and strategies of insuring cultural competent health care services to Native Hawaiian (NH) people in underserved communities. Of special interest, this publication brings to the forefront cultural and social movements in the island community inclusive of:
- the wisdom and voices of elders and their knowledge traditional healing practices;
- the demonstrable value of training NH scholars and physicians in the health care field; and
- underscoring holistic health and community based health care perspectives to guide culturally based practices in servicing Pacific Islanders.
The journal contains several empirical articles related to health issues among Native Hawaiians including: training Hawaiian health care providers, using outreach programs to increase screening behavior among women for breast cancer, utilizing health services and benefits in the NH community, and addressing health risks and needs of transgendered individuals It also focuses on cultural values such as the 'aina' (land or sense of place) on health and 'ohana' (family) and adherence to treatment protocol for HIV patients. This special edition also discusses critical issues facing indigenous communities including genetic research and protecting indigenous knowledge and intellectual property.
An underlying theme of the journal is the challenges Native Hawaiians face in finding a balance when dealing with a Western world while maintaining the importance of cultural identity and values in the provision of health care to indigenous populations. The Journal editors have been skillful in their selection of articles intended to promote the development of indigenous scholars and health care professionals by making this and future publications both interesting and a comprehensive resource for scholars and health care providers. Serving as a solid foundation for future articles and dissemination efforts, this Journal holds great promise for advancing theory, research and practice in an effort to insure continuous improvement in health care to indigenous populations in the Pacific.
The Pacific Health Dialog (PHD) is published twice a year and supported by multiple pacific health programs including institutions in Maori, Fiji, Micronesia and other councils or organizations in the Pacific. The journal was established in 1994 and was published by Resource Books (http://www.resourcebooks.co.nz/phd/phd.htm) until 2005 where it was transferred to the Pacific Health Research Council associated with the Fiji School of Medicine.
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