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PubMed1998

Do migrants' remittances decline over time? Evidence from Tongans and Western Samoans in Australia.

"There is concern that Pacific Island economies dependent on remittances of migrants will endure foreign exchange shortages and falling living standards as remittance levels fall because of lower migration rates and the belief that migrants' willingness to remit declines over time. The empirical validity of the remittance-decay hypothesis has never been tested. From survey data on Tongan and Western Samoan migrants in Sydney [Australia], this paper estimates remittance functions using multivariate regression analysis. It is found that the remittance-decay hypothesis has no empirical validity, and migrants are motivated by factors other than altruistic family support, including asset accumulation and investment back home."

Australia↗
PubMed2002

New Zealand resident Tongan peoples' health and illness beliefs and utilisation of the health care system.

This study investigated the perceptions of health and illness, and the utilisation of the health care system, over the last five years, of Tongan people who reside in New Zealand. A descriptive qualitative approach was used, with the study being implemented by networking with representatives of the Tongan community and health care workers. Twenty adult Tongan people volunteered and were given the interview questions in advance. The individual face to face semi-structured interviews took approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Participants verified the transcription of their interviews. Answers were analysed by identifying themes in response to each interview question. Most participants considered health to be a state of physical, mental, social and spiritual well being. Illness beliefs were predominantly either a biological malfunction of the body, or a breakdown of the holistic state of well being. All participants had used the western orthodox medical system, with the general practitioner being consulted more than other services. A high level of satisfaction was expressed with this service. Traditional Tongan healing was utilised by about half the participants, and most were happy with its outcomes. A lesser number of participants had used alternative health care, but the levels of satisfaction with it were mixed.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Missed immunisation opportunities among Tongan children in Auckland, New Zealand.

AIMS: To determine the proportion of Tongan children with missed opportunities for immunisations and estimate the impact of missed opportunities on delayed immunisation. METHODS: A retrospective audit of 133 children, conducted in two Pacific primary care clinics in Auckland. Children were eligible if born in 1999 and if the clinic was their usual source of primary care. Primary care computer data files up to December 31st 2001 were reviewed. A missed opportunity was defined as a doctor visit at which an immunisation was due but not given. An immunisation was defined as given only if the date of administration was recorded. An immunisation was delayed if not received within 30 days of first being due. RESULTS: Seven percent of children were delayed for the six week, 67% for the three month, 72% for the five month, and 65% for the 15 month immunisations. Thirty four percent of children had at least one missed opportunity for immunisation. Most missed opportunities occurred in acute care visits, and contraindications to immunisation were almost never present. Having a missed opportunity was associated with an increased risk of delay of the six week (OR = 48.75, 95% CI 6.82, 998.16), five month (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.03) and 15 month (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.04) immunisations but not the three month immunisation (OR = 1.00, 95% CI 0.33, 3.45). CONCLUSION: Missed opportunities are frequent and are associated with an increased risk of delayed immunisation. They are likely to contribute to New Zealand's poor immunisation coverage and the excess burden of vaccine preventable disease experienced by Pacific children in New Zealand.

Databases, Factual↗
PubMed2004

Illness beliefs and adherence in diabetes mellitus: a comparison between Tongan and European patients.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine whether there are cultural differences in the way in which Tongan and European people with Type 2 diabetes conceptualise their illness and treatment. The relationships between patients' illness and treatment perceptions and their adherence to self-care regimens were also assessed. METHODS: Participants completed either a Tongan or English version of a questionnaire, which included standardised measures of personal beliefs about diabetes and medication, and self-reported adherence. Information about the severity of patients' diabetes was obtained from patients' notes. RESULTS: Comparisons of glycosylated haemoglobin levels showed that Tongan patients had significantly poorer control over their diabetes than did European patients. They were also significantly more likely than European patients to perceive their diabetes as acute and cyclical in nature, uncontrollable, and caused by factors such as God's will, pollution in the environment, and poor medical care in the past. Tongan patients perceived less necessity for medication, and exhibited higher emotional distress related to their diabetes. The beliefs that characterised the Tongan patients tended to be associated with poorer adherence to diet and medication taking. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the need for assessment of patients' personal and cultural beliefs about their illness. Understanding patients' perceptions may provide an avenue for improving adherence to self-care regimens.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed2004

Specific oral contraceptive use and venous thromboembolism resulting in hospital admission.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) with anti-androgen oral contraceptives containing cyproterone acetate and ethinyloestradiol. METHODS: Comparison of the frequency of specific oral contraceptive use in patients aged 15 to 55 years discharged from hospital with radiologically confirmed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE) with the expected frequency of use derived from national prescription data. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Ratio of observed frequency of specific oral contraceptive use in patients with VTE versus expected frequency of use. RESULTS: The rank order for observed versus expected use was anti-androgen > third-generation, > second-generation, > progestogen-only oral contraceptive agents with ratios of 1.93, 1.36, 0.70, and 0.39, respectively. CONCLUSION: The risk of VTE resulting in hospital admission associated with anti-androgen oral contraceptive use is at least as high as with third generation use.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Quantitative evaluation of variance in secondary dentition eruption among ethnic groups in Hawai'i.

Though little scientific evidence existed to support the belief among dentists who treat Pacific Islander populations that many children of the region erupt secondary teeth earlier and at an eruption rate which exceeds Caucasian children. Based upon a data set created in Hawai'i during the 1998-1999 school year, of 26,097 public school children, the opportunity presented itself to examine for variance in eruption timing and sequence. Hawai'i is an ethnic diverse community, with a majority population comprised of Asians and Pacific Islanders. Children, 5 through 9 years of age, were examined for gender and ethnic variance. In the aggregate, at all ages, girls erupted teeth earlier than boys, however, while generally true among individual tooth types, that variance was not always statistically significant. By ethnic group, African Americans exhibited earlier eruption by contrast with Caucasians, however, Caucasian children caught up by nine years of age. Native Hawaiian, Samoan and Tongan children exhibited earlier and high rates of secondary dentition eruption than Caucasian or African American children. Children of various Asian cohorts did not exhibit significant variance by contrast with Caucasians. Based upon these findings, the authors recommend that dietary fluoride supplementation of Native Hawaiian, Samoan and Tongan children begin at birth rather than 6 months of age and that these children be targeted for pit & fissure sealants as early as five years of age.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1989

Some epidemiological and scanning electron microscopic features of crazing of the dental enamel of Polynesians.

The prevalence of enamel crazing was determined from the maxillary incisors and canines of 1,109 Tongan residents aged 5-20 years, 1,417 Cook Island residents aged 6-20 years, 520 French Polynesian residents aged 10-15 years, and 92 New Zealand-born and -resident Polynesians aged 11-18 years. Crazing occurred in 22 percent of Tongans, 7 percent of Cook Islanders, but not in French Polynesians or New Zealand-born Polynesians. Cracks become clinically apparent at about 8 years of age; were more common in males than females; and became more common with increasing age. The central incisors were the most commonly affected of the maxillary anterior teeth. Cross-sections of teeth with crazing viewed by light and scanning electron microscopy appeared similar to other stained cracks. The indications are that crazing is a post-eruptive change caused by trauma from local environmental factors resulting in stress fractures. The significance of crazing on enamel structure and strength is unknown, but it is probably minor without long-term disadvantages. The prevalence of crazing may prove useful in anthropology as an indicator of the use of teeth as tools and in assessing the "modernisation" of a population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Dr Sione Tapa.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

History of Medicine↗
PubMed1996

Nutrient intakes of Tongan and Tokelauan children living in New Zealand.

AIMS: To assess the adequacy of nutrient intakes of 10- to 13-year-old Tongan and Tokelauan children living in New Zealand and to compare these data with data from nonPacific Islands children of the same age. METHODS: A 24-hour diet record was used to assess the nutrient intakes of Tongan and Tokelauan school children (n = 162), aged 10- to 13-years, living in Auckland and Wellington. Nutrient intakes using the same methodology were compared with those from a nationally representative sample of nonPacific Islands, Form 1 children and also with Australian recommended dietary intakes for children aged 12- to 15-years. RESULTS: Data were collected from 162 (68 boys and 94 girls) of 220 children eligible to participate in the study (74%). Mean energy intakes for both the Tongan (8855 kJ for boys, 8610 kJ for girls) and the Tokelauan (9872 kJ for boys, 8826 kJ for girls) children were above the range of intake recommended by the World Health Organisation. The combined average energy intake of the two groups was higher than that of nonPacific Islands children for both boys and girls although not statistically significantly. Total fat intake was significantly higher (p < 0.05) for Tongan and Tokelauan boys, protein intake significantly higher for Tongan and Tokelauan boys (p < 0.01) and girls (p < 0.01), and carbohydrate intake significantly lower (p < 0.01) for Tongan and Tokelauan girls than for nonPacific Islands children. Compared with nonPacific Islands children micronutrient intakes were generally lower for Tongan and Tokelauan children with intakes of calcium, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, folate and vitamin A being significantly lower for both sexes. Vitamin C was also significantly lower for girls (p < 0.05). Tongan and Tokelauan children obtain most of their nutrients from meat, bakery products, fast foods and dairy products. Fruit and vegetables were not significant contributors to nutrient intakes. CONCLUSIONS: Tongan and Tokelauan children living in New Zealand consume a diet that is larger in amount but lower in nutrient density compared to that of nonPacific Islands New Zealand children. Their relatively high dietary energy intakes allow them to meet the recommended intake requirements for most nutrients although if current intakes of fat and energy are maintained this may put them at risk of heart disease and other diseases later in life.

Adolescent↗