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Biomedical subjects

Rosanne Harrigan

Publications and source records attributed to Rosanne Harrigan.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Complementary and alternative medicine usage by intercollegiate athletes.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence and types of provider-delivered complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) used by intercollegiate student athletes attending a Division I NCAA University. DESIGN AND SETTING: Survey methodology within a group of intercollegiate student athletes at a Division I NCAA university during the fall semester of 2004. PARTICIPANTS: All incoming and returning intercollegiate student athletes were invited to participate. Surveys were completed by 309 (122 women, 187 men) of 482 (64.1%) student athletes representing 20 sports (11 women's, 9 men's teams). MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: A 28-item reliable and valid survey instrument that measured the use of provider delivered CAM and allopathic medical care was administered. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi2 tests, and logistic regressions. RESULTS: Fifty-six percent of subjects reported using CAM within the past 12 months, including a significantly higher percentage of women (67%) than men (49%) (P < 0.01). Massage was the most commonly used type (38%), followed by chiropractic (29%), Lomilomi (14%), and acupuncture (12%). CAM usage overall did not differ significantly by sport, year in college, nor ethnicity. Hawaiian, Samoan, and Tongan subjects were more likely to use the Hawaiian-originated forms of CAM. Sixty percent of respondents have a regular medical doctor, eighty percent of which are family practitioners. Forty-two percent of subjects were referred to a medical specialist within the previous three years. CONCLUSIONS: CAM usage is common among collegiate student athletes and rates are higher than in adults nationwide and within the state of Hawai'i. This study and future investigations will increase the awareness of CAM use patterns by collegiate athletes, and hopefully improve allopathic physicians' abilities to provide optimal athletic health care.

Adult↗

Use of provider delivered complementary and alternative therapies in Hawai'i: results of the Hawai'i Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: Provider delivered complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is used increasingly as a treatment option. Nevertheless, data related to the prevalence of provider delivered CAM (or PDCAM) use in diverse racial and ethnic populations is limited. The purpose of this investigation was to describe the use of provider delivered CAM in Hawaiian, Asian, and other Pacific Island populations in Hawai'i. The investigation was undertaken to test the hypothesis that a significant difference existed in the use of provider delivered CAM in Hawai'i because of the cultural diversity existing within the population. METHODS: The data were collected through the Hawai'i Health Survey (HHS). The HHS was administered by telephone among 5,000 stratified, randomly selected households, representing each of the Hawaiian Islands. Data were collected on all members of sample households. The sample population was statistically adjusted to represent the population of Hawai'i. RESULTS: Several factors emerged that may indicate increased use of provider delivered CAM. Most provider delivered CAM users are more educated, have incomes 200% or more above the poverty line, and reported either good or very good health status. Among respondents with poor health status, 60.4% have used provider delivered CAM. Those with a body mass index indicating that they were overweight also reported a high level of provider delivered CAM use (51.4%). Similar percentages of both women and men use provider delivered CAM, while the youngest and oldest respondents reported the least use of provider delivered CAM. Whites (60.0%) and Koreans (56.6%) reported the highest percentage of use of provider delivered CAM, while African Americans (35.5%) and Filipinos (37. 1%) reported the lowest percentage. The majority of people without health insurance report provider delivered CAM use (53. 7%). The highest portion of people who have usedanyalternative health care service is found among those whose pain severely interferes with normal work (78.3%). CONCLUSIONS The use of provider delivered CAM was found to be significantly greater in Hawaii compared with the mainland. Our results suggest the need for additional investigation of provider delivered CAM use in specific ethnic subpopulations.

Adult↗

Addressing oral health disparities in settings without a research-intensive dental school: collaborative strategies.

Research suggests that oral health is linked to systemic health, and those with poor oral health are potentially at greater risk for important diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs) in Hawaii have high rates of many such diseases. Studies in children in Hawaii have revealed disparities in dental health; for example, API children have significantly higher rates of cavities than other groups. Hence, conducting further study is vital in adults, particularly APIs, to assess oral health and its correlation to overall health outcomes. Given the lack of a dental school and the lack of fluoridated water in the state, the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine (ABSOM) has identified the need to assume a leadership role in creating effective community-based oral health research and treatment programs. With the support of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, JABSOM fostered a collaborative relationship with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry, a premiere research-intensive dental school, the Waimanalo Health Center, and the Hawaii State Department of Health. This partnership has worked together to implement a community-based approach to performing research designed to illuminate disparities and develop innovative strategies to promote oral health in Hawaii's diverse populations. We hope that this collaborative, culturally competent approach may serve as a model for use in other settings without a research-intensive dental school.

Adolescent↗

An overview of obesity and diabetes in the diverse populations of the Pacific.

BACKGROUND: Pacific islanders (PI) have some of the highest prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes in the world. Data related to PI are often reported as though the group is an aggregate; however, PI are a group of very diverse peoples. OBJECTIVE: To explore the obesity problem in PI by: 1) characterizing the major ethnic groups in the Pacific; 2) describing the most recent US census data on PI and their recent immigration patterns; and 3) synthesizing the literature on obesity in PI and type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Census information and anthropologic resources on the Pacific Islands and its peoples were obtained through an Internet search. Literature on obesity, diabetes, and body composition in PI were obtained through a systematic analysis of citations listed on Medline. RESULTS: Pacific Islanders (PI) are diverse people, culturally, biologically, and linguistically. Polynesians and some Micronesians have a very high prevalence of obesity and diabetes. Melanesians are among the most diverse ethnic groups in the world. Body mass index (BMI) cut-point values for Polynesians may be inaccurate. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The cause of obesity and diabetes in PI is unclear. Some factors involved are related to urbanization and migration. Obesity research should distinguish between island ethnicities and not aggregate all PI together. Research is needed to define body fat distribution of Polynesians in relationship to obesity co-morbidities, to determine normal growth of Polynesian children, to determine the relationship between growth abnormalities and adult obesity, and to determine the impact of immigration on PI.

Adolescent↗

The relationship between ethnicity and obesity in Asian and Pacific Islander populations: a literature review.

The purpose of this literature review is to explore the potential relationship between ethnicity and obesity, and obesity-related risks, with a particular emphasis on disparities between Asian and Pacific Islander populations. We conducted a comprehensive search of available medical literature related to the rise of obesity in the United States, factors contributing to obesity, evidence-based clinical guidelines, and obesity and related risks as they occur in Hawaii. In conducting this search, we sought to illuminate obesity rates in Asians and Pacific Islanders in connection with various factors, such as diet and lifestyle, acculturation, and body image, as they occur in diverse cultural contexts. We found that the rates of obesity and related risks were highest in Native Hawaiians and Samoans. Based upon our review of the literature, we conclude that further research is necessary to address the relationship between ethnicity and obesity risk factors in Asian and Pacific Islander populations.

Asian↗

Healthy people in Hawaii?: an overview of ethnic health disparities in Hawaii for the Healthy People 2010 initiative targeted health concerns.

Significant health disparities exist between ethnic groups in the United States. The authors reviewed literature examining the epidemiology of health disparities in Hawaii's multiethnic population. One of the primary goals of the Healthy People 2010 initiative is to eliminate health disparities, specifically cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, infant mortality, child and adult immunizations and HIV/AIDS. However, the research on ethnic health disparities is fragmented, especially in Asian/Pacific Islanders. Unclear definitions of ethnicity (i.e., self-report, mixed ethnicity, etc) and aggregated study populations (i.e., combining multiple ethnic groups into one category) obscure the true health status of ethnic minorities in Hawaii. This paper presents an overview of the state of the literature on Hawaii ethnic health disparities.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗