Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Samoa”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 487 records · Page 27Linked to original sources

Culturally based interventions for substance use and child abuse among native Hawaiians.

OBJECTIVE: This article presents an overview of child abuse among culturally diverse populations in Hawaii, substance use among culturally diverse students in Hawaii, and culturally based interventions for preventing child abuse and substance abuse in Native Hawaiian families. OBSERVATIONS: Native Hawaiians accounted for the largest number of cases of child abuse and neglect in Hawaii between 1996 and 1998. Alcohol and other drugs have increasingly been linked with child maltreatment. Native Hawaiian youths report the highest rate of substance use in Hawaii. Cultural factors such as spirituality, family, and cultural identification and pride are important in interventions with Native Hawaiians. CONCLUSION: Human services should continue to emphasize interventions that integrate "mainstream" and cultural-specific approaches.

Adolescent↗

Over-representation of Samoan/Pacific Islanders among patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections at a large family practice clinic in Anchorage, Alaska, 1996-2000.

Two pediatricians in Anchorage observed that among patients of Samoan/Pacific Islander (S/PI) descent, bacterial wound cultures that grew Staphylococcus aureus often yielded methicillin-resistant isolates. The Alaska Section of Epidemiology performed chart reviews of patients that visited a large family practice clinic in Anchorage, Alaska, from 1996 through April 2000, and who were diagnosed with a skin infection. Eight of 204 patients were identified with culture-confirmed MRSA infections. Eighty percent (4 of 5) of S/PI patients had resistant isolates compared with 12% (4 of 34) of non S/PI patients (Yates corrected chi2 = 8.61, p-value = 0.003). Although subject to limitations, these data support similar findings documented by other studies that suggest MRSA infections disproportionately affect persons of S/PI origin. This study also suggests that it would be prudent to reduce the threshold of clinical suspicion for obtaining a skin culture among S/PI patients in Alaska, and avoid beta-lactam antibiotics until culture results are received.

Alaska↗

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↗

Body image differences among Malay, Samoan, and Australian women.

Comparisons of body attitudes and associated behaviours were undertaken using Malay, Samoan, and Australian female students. The general goal of the research was to determine the degree to which the observed pattern of attitudes and behaviours was attributable to culture. The specific analyses comprised an examination of group differences using standard measures that included the Body Attitudes Questionnaire, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire and detailed questions concerning the use of diet and exercise as weight control strategies. The main findings concerned a number of cultural differences, particularly in relation to diet and exercise, that were evident even with the effect of body mass index held constant. These results are interpreted in terms of the efficacy of entrenched cultural beliefs in protecting against introduced, more dominant, cultural values. The Australian sample exhibited the most negative body image, although there was some evidence that Malays and Samoans were influenced by Western ideals of weight and shape. It is proposed that to fully understand the differential meaning of negative body image across cultures and the potential impact of westernisation, both within-group and between-group differences in body size need to be acknowledged.

Adult↗

Hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody among Samoans living in Christchurch.

Ninety-six Western Samoan volunteers were examined for the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody (anti-HBs). Seventy-two volunteers were full blooded Samoans and four were found to be asymptomatic carriers of HBsAg. No mixed blood volunteers had detectable HBsAg by either haemagglutination or radioimmunoassay techniques. Fifty of the 72 full blooded Samoans had anti-HBs detectable by radioimmunoassay. Eight of these reactions were only weakly positive. Seventeen of the 24 mixed blood volunteers had detectable anti-Hbs. All were Samoan born. This study suggests that Samoan born Somoans should provide a valuable source of anti-HBs if New Zealand preparation of this antibody is contemplated.

Adult↗

The anthropometry of Western Samoan pre-school children.

A limited survey of the physical characteristics of Western Samoan pre-school children was conducted. The Samoan children appear larger than their European counterparts in early infancy, although this difference is lost by nine months of age. There is a need to establish standards of growth for Western Samoan children. Until these standards are available caution is advised when comparing Samoan infant growth parameters with UK norms.

Anthropometry↗

Compliance by Samoans in Hawaii with service norms in pediatric primary care.

American Samoans are one in a number of Pacific Basin groups for which the U.S. Government provides health care assistance and one in a large number of recent immigrant groups to the United States. Although these groups often have health care beliefs inconsistent with Western primary care, their compliance with basic provider expectations (such as appointment keeping and appropriate emergency room use) remains largely unstudied. In the case of Samoans in Hawaii, concern is often expressed that a group much in need of health care (pediatric hospitalization and acute illness visit rates are high) often seems "out-of-sync" with Western health care. Four measures of noncompliance were studied in the Hawaii pediatric primary care residency training program. Enrolled Samoan patients were compared with an aggregation of more established ethnic groups. Four matched case-control studies controlled for socioeconomic status and the presence or absence of medical insurance and a home telephone. Samoans were more likely than the comparison group to miss health maintenance appointments, to drop in without an appointment, and to use the emergency room for nonurgent problems when a same-day-notice clinic visit would have usually sufficed.

Adult↗