Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 7, 1 July 1986 — Two-Year OHA Project Finished [ARTICLE]

Two-Year OHA Project Finished

lnteresting Findings in Final PS/NA Figures

Several interesting findings in the final report of the Population Survey and Needs Assessment Study (PS/NA) ean be found in the figures compiled from 500 Hawaiian families totaling between 1,400 and 1,500 individuals interviewed statewide. They were interviewed on a wide range of subjects from the types of services they use and their opinions of the services (including education and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs) to economics, land issues and Hawaiian rights. The completed survey was done by OHA over the last two years. Its purpose was to: • ldentify physical, sociological, psychological and eeonomieal needs of Hawaiians. • Establish reliable estimates of the numbers of Hawaiians by Nood quantum. • Complement the Comprehensive Services for Hawaiians Office Survey to identify gaps and barriers in the delivery of services to Hawaiians. • Assist OHA in establishing priorities and programs to direct future activities. Preliminary findings of this report were reported in Ka Wai Ola O OHA in May, 1984, and also October and November, 1985. On problems affecting their family, 41 percent of those interviewed said they have money and eeonomie problems; 19 percent said they have work or employ-ment-related problems and nearly 11 percent said their family is affected by medical or health problems.

Govemment programs, followed by family and relatives, are the primary sources of help people turn to in dealing with their problems. Of course the source of help people turn to is usually determined by the problem. When problems of a medical or health nature arise, 54 percent of the people interviewed said they rely on a medical professional or health organization; only six percent said they turn to a family member or other relative. For 44 percent of the people surveyed, relatives are the most frequent source of help in dea)ing with family problems. Government programs are a major source of help in dealing with money and eeonomie problems, welfare assistance, employment, housing and land. Teachers and problems with friends and problems associated with school. When it comes to personal or psychological problems, 57 percent of the people rely on a minister or religious organization. Other areas covered types of services received, education, self-sufficiency, employment, housing, Hawaiian lifestyle, rights as Hawaiians, Hawaiian programs, Hawaiian culture, OHA's role for Hawaiians, voting, Ka Wai OLA O OHA and organizations. lt is interesting to note that slightly more than one-half of the adults surveyed said they read the OHA newspaper. They offered several suggestions but on the whole they favored the new mag type format overwhelmingly over the first issues of the publication. They

♦ agreed the newspaper is informative, interesting and attractively laid out. When asked if they are registered to vote, 60percent said they are registered for the federal, state and OHA elections. Thirty percent are not registered to vote and two percent are registered for the OHA election only. On the question of work, 70 percent said they are satisfied and 30 percent are dissatisfied with the way they make a living. The main reasons for dissatisfaction are that children or family prevent having a job (31 percent); there is no work nearby and no transportation to a job (22 percent); or the person who needs more education, job training or better jobskills (21 percent). Only nine percent of the parents said they leave their children home alone because of work or for other reasons. Affordable housing is the most eommon housing problem faced by 93 percent of the people in this survey. Thirty-eight percent of those surveyed said they have land. Of these people, 66 percent own land and 34 percent lease land. When the land is used for farming and residence, 69 percent owned and 31 percent leased. When the land is used just for residence, 64 percent is owned and 36 percent is leased. The most frequent lessor is the Queen Liliuokalani Trust (41 percent), Bishop Estate (32 percent) and Hawaiian Homes (22 percent). The findings are being put in booklet form and will be ready in a few weeks.