Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 6, 1 Iune 1989 — Lupus Questionnaire Offered To Public [ARTICLE]

Lupus Questionnaire Offered To Public

Lupus, a little-known auto-immune disorder in whieh the body attacks itself, usually afflicts women of Oriental and Folynesian ancestry more frequently than Caucasians. According to national statistics, nine out of ten lupus patients are women. Eaeh year in the U.S. 16,000 individuals are diagnosed as having Lupus. According to the Hawai'i Lupus Foundation, lupus erythematosus has been called the "Great Pretender" because its symptoms are many and varied. They include rash, fatigue, prolonged fever, arthritis and pleurisy. The disease may affect as many as one out of 2,000 individuals.

Persons who have been diagnosed by a physieian as having lupus erythematosus, are urged to participate in a first-time study by the Hawai'i Lupus Foundation, ine. By completing a brief fiveminute confidential questionnaire, the foundation will be able to research the incidence of lupus in Hawaii to find out how many people have this relatively unknown disease. Those participants who complete the questionnaire will become eligible to win a gift certificate for a trip on board the Windjammer Sailing Ship. For a questionnaire write to: Hawai'i Lupus Foundation, ine., 1650 Liliha St., Room 208, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 or eall 5381522.