Health Problems in Indigenous People May Have Roots in Historical Trauma
Health problems among Indigenous people have been linked to Indigenous historical trauma (IHT), but the relationship is not straightforward. In a systematic review, researchers including Rachel L. Burrage PhD, of the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work, analyzed 32 empirical studies of IHT and health outcomes in Indigenous people in the United States and Canada. Many studies found statistically significant direct and/or indirect associations between indicators of IHT and adverse health outcomes. However, study design, sample, measures, and analyses varied greatly, limiting the ability to make recommendations for health policy or professional practice at this time. Further research is needed to refine the measurement of IHT and to identify patterns of psychological harms that arise from IHT, the researchers concluded in their review (https://bit.ly/2SJtRkx) published in The American Psychologist.
A Better Way to Test Gonorrhea Bacteria for Susceptibility to Antibiotics
The bacteria that cause gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, and health care providers rely on laboratories to conduct antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Now, findings (https://bit.ly/2BKDRPZ) published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology show that Etest strips can reliably be used in susceptibility testing. Researchers including Norman P. O'Connor, with the Hawai‘i State Department of Health sent 100 pairs of N. Gonorrhoeae samples to eight labs for testing against three different antibiotics. The labs were in agreement within one dilution level on the minimum inhibitory concentration values of the antibiotics in 80% of tests. The traditional testing method, agar dilution susceptibility testing, is difficult to run for labs that do such testing only infrequently. Intra-laboratory correlation could be improved with more experience in using Estrips, the researchers wrote.
Can a Ketogenic Diet Help Children with Autism?
Some children with autism who initiate a ketogenic diet may show improvement in the severity of their condition. The diet involves a low-carbohydrate and high-fat intake and is postulated to change neural cellular metabolism by promoting the use of ketones as an energy source. Researchers including Michael Corley PhD, of the John A. Burns School of Medicine, conducted an open-label trial with 3- to 13-year-old children in Honolulu. The 15 children who adhered to the diet for three months showed significant improvement in their social affect scores, and six showed substantial improvement in autism severity. Some children improved more than others, suggesting that other factors may influence individual responses to the diet, the researchers wrote in their study (https://bit.ly/2BQ6yuR) in Physiology & Behavior.
Native Hawaiians' Risk of Lung Cancer
Native Hawaiians who smoke have a higher risk of lung cancer compared with people of other ethnicities who smoke at the same level. Researchers including Loïc Le Marchand MD, PhD, of the UH Cancer Center, analyzed data from 184,000 men and women who have been followed since 1996 in the Multiethnic Cohort study. Findings showed that among participants who smoked for 50 years at 10 cigarettes per day (25 pack-years), the estimated excess relative risk for lung cancer was 21.9 for Native Hawaiians, 19.1 for African Americans, 11.9 for whites, 10.1 for Japanese Americans, and 8 for Latinos. The racial and ethnic differences in lung cancer risk are more pronounced at low and moderate smoking intensities, the researchers noted in their findings (https://bit.ly/2STkX44) published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Public Health Researchers Support Capacity-Building Efforts in Brazil
Locally-led public health research is essential to healthy communities. In a new paper, Catherine Pirkle PhD, and Tetine Sentell PhD, with UH Public Health, along with colleagues in Brazil detail an education program to help build a skilled public health workforce in an economically-disadvantaged region of Brazil. In the program, Brazilian students are trained to administer health surveys, interview study participants, and collect epidemiological data in the field. Students need a solid understanding of the social, economic, and psychological motivations of community, the researchers wrote in a paper (https://bit.ly/2En4TOZ) in the Journal of Global Health. The project is meeting its goals of increasing health research proficiency and capacity in the region.
Mental Health Services in the Perinatal Period: The Role of Nurse Practitioners
There is growing evidence of the impact of pregnancy-related mental health conditions on women, newborns, and families, according to a new paper from Lorraine Byrnes PhD, with the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene. Pregnant women may need screening, diagnosis, and treatment for depression, anxiety, obesseive compulsive disorder, or posttraumatic stress disroder. Therefore, nurse practioners (NPs) who provide care to women should have a comprehensive protocol for screening, diagnosing, and treating women with these conditons during pregnancy. In addition, NPs should assess women to determine how they are coping with pregnancy and the postpartum period, and whether they have sufficient social support, according to the paper (https://bit.ly/2SUunwf) published in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners.
College Students in Hawai'i Believe E-Cigarettes Help Them Quit
College students in Hawai‘i who use e-cigarettes tend to believe that these devices may help them to reduce or stop smoking regular cigarettes. Researchers led by Deborah Ann Taira ScD, with the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, conducted in-depth, face-to-face interviews with 23 students. Results also showed that most believed that e-cigarette use had improved their health. Some said they used e-cigarettes to cut down on smoking marijuana and chewing tobacco. Interestingly, the students reported that non-e-cigarette users tend to show interest or seemed to become intrigued by their vaping. The students also said they would like more information on the long-term health impacts of e-cigarettes, according to the study (https://bit.ly/2Ei2EeA) is published in Health Behavior and Policy Review.