Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 2, 1 February 1990 — Integrate tradition cancer expert says [ARTICLE]

Integrate tradition cancer expert says

The high cancer death rate among Hawaiians ean be prevented and substantially reduced, says a nahonal cancer researcher. But cancer detection and treatment programs must eome from the Hawaiian community working with medical professionals. These remarks were made by William A. Darity, PhD., principal investigator and director of the Cancer and Smoking research project at the University of Massachusetts. Darity was a guest speaker at the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs convention in Nov. 1989. Darity said two problems that need to be solved in Hawai'i are the cost of testing and treatment and how to accommodate traditional Hawaiian values in treatment programs. "Whatever is done must be organized by Hawaiians, be based with Hawaiians, and fit with customs, values and practices," he said. Darity was in Hawai'i in November for a series of NCI meetings on all the islands. The meetings were held in cooperation with Papa Ola Lokahi whieh is made up of five agencies concerned with Hawaiian health — E Ola Mau, an organization of Native Hawaiian health professionals (including traditional healers), Alu Like, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Health Office of Hawaiian Health, and the University of Hawai'i. Their goal is to form a network to reduce cancer among Hawaiians. This network will include loeal health agencies, Hawaiian community organizations, native Hawaiian health practitioners (in-

cluding traditional healers) and medical professionals who will share information and resources. Darity said that a Native Hawaiian cancer prevention network could apply for assistance from the Center for Disease Control and the Office of Minority Health in the federal Department of Health and Human Services to establish disease control and prevention programs. Formation of the Papa Ola Lokahi network began when the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs held a cancer information workshop in Hawai'i in 1987. A working group was formed to define Native Hawaiian concerns over cancer. NCI is now seeking medical research proposals from Hawai'i to study preventable cancer in Hawaiians, especially cervical and breast cancer in Hawaiian women. The institute is also interested in studies linking cancer in Native Hawaiians to cigarette smoking and use of smokeless tobacco. Darity said NCI has received several research proposals and will announee soon whieh ones may receive funding. NCI also studies other "special populations" in the United States, such as the elderly, low-ineome groups, Asian-Americans, Black Americans, Hispanics and people in high-risk occupations. These groups have demonstrated higher death ' rates than the average Amenean. Research shows that if these groups ean be reached in time with education, and programs to prevent and treat cancer, fewer deaths will result.