Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 6, 1 June 1985 — Molokai Conducts Heart Study [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Molokai Conducts Heart Study

Dr. Noa Emmett Aluli and Helen Kanawaliwali 0'Connor recently presented details of a project that would examine particular risk factors of heart disease in a Hawaiian eommunity. Moloka'i was picked for this study because of the percentage of native Hawaiians and Hawaiians who live on Moloka'i and because of the eoneem that Dr. Aluli and others have for the health of Hawaiians. The life expectancy of Hawaiians is the lowest of all ethnic groups in Hawai'i. Pure Hawaiians have twice the death rate because of heart disease than the rest of Hawaii's population, and part Hawaiians have intermediate rates according to a mortality study of the Hawaiian people conducted in 1980. For Hawaiians up to the age of 69, the percent of deaths due to heart disease is more than twice that for cancer, and greater than all the other causes of death put together. (see figure: "Excess Deaths Per Year In Hawaiians") For the Hawaiian, there are no scientifically gathered data on the risk factors, (the increase in odds) for getting heart disease. Examples of these risks are high blood pressure, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, and fats, increased salt intake, smoking and aleohol habits, overweight, and life-style stresses. "Our community group believes that we should better understand these to be more informed and responsible for the health needs of the Hawaiians," Aluli said in a prepared statement. "The Hawai'i Heart Association has funded us to carry out a study of members of the Hawaiian community, whieh would provide the first comprehensive look at factors whieh may contribute to heart disease among Hawaiians." As part of this study, the Moloka'i Heart Study has been invited to be part of a 42-country study on salt and blood pressures sponsored in part by the World Health Organization. Dr. J. David Curb, M. D. associate professor at the School of Public Health, University of Hawai'i, is the principle investigator. Dr. Raymond Knudtsen, M. D., and his wife, Dr. Sanova Knudtsen, M. D., both visiting faculty from Norway, are co-investigators along with Dr. Aluli, who has been providing family health care on Moloka'i for 10 years. Dr. Aluli and 0'Connor are the project coordinators. "Na Pu'uwai is the kaona of our Moloka'i Heart Study . We are a group of the Moloka'i community, grassroots, and pro-

fessionals involved now in educating the Hawaiian as to the particular need to prevent heart disease, and to offer eommunity based programs to better the conditions of the Hawaiian," according to Aluli. "If you are native Hawaiian or Hawaiian and live on Moloka'i, you are invited to attend one of many community meetings beginning May 20 through June." A census is currently being done to determine a representative cross section of Hawaiian adults who live on Moloka'i. Those people, or a sample of them, would then be invited to be screened at the Ho'olehua Recreational Center heart study site. Questionaires, heights, weights, standardized blood pressures, blood serum for ehemieal tests, and 24-hour urine collections for some, will be required for the study. "The group will publish their results in Hawaii medical journals, and the lay press as they will continue with their educational programs whieh they hope will impact their families, neighbors, and Hawaiian communities," Aluli concluded. Inquiries may be answered by contacting Dr. Aluli at the Moloka'i elinie, P. O. Box 1100, Kaunakakai, HI 96748, or by calling Dr. Curb at the University O Hawai'i, 948-8601.