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[edit] Health Studies for Native Hawaiians

One of the difficulties is that many of the studies indicating higher incidences of disease amongst Native Hawaiians used the one-drop rule, or self-identification rule - given the fact that most native Hawaiians are actually mostly not native Hawaiian (i.e., they are less than 50% native ancestry), it is difficult to assert a link between poor demographics and their ethnic category. All ethnic studies in Hawaii are particularly difficult, given the great diversity of ancestry within individuals, and the studies which show disproportionate illness in certain ethnic groups are no exception.

I reworded the statement to be a bit more neutral, but still tried to capture the essential citation. --JereKrischel 22:49, 31 May 2006 (UTC)

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Thanks, Jere -- I see what youʻre saying, and I agree that itʻs really complex. Thatʻs kinda the challenge of Wikipedia, huh? To take really complex stuff and crystalize it into one user-friendly page thatʻs simple enough to make sense to those who know nothing about it...

I appreciate your viewpoint, but the thing about the health statistics is that there are just too @$&*! many of them to ignore. (In fact, I think Iʻve become a health statistic myself from the way my eyes were bugginʻ out having to read so much of this stuff when I got my masterʻs degree in this very topic). Also, the statistics are bad in many areas regardless of blood quantum; theyʻre just much worse in the >50% population.

Itʻs true that itʻs a very complex issue, and I do strongly agree that identity is an important factor (I know I changed this in the article, because it wasnʻt quite correct in that context, but it would be great to cover this properly at some point). Itʻs also true that some of these problems may certainly be correlated with poverty...but then, some researchers say that poverty is one of our health problems. Anyway, no matter which way you cut it, Hawaiians are in a lotta health trouble...and thereʻs definitely not enough poi!

Aloha, Laualoha 11:50, 2 June 2006 (UTC)

I appreciate your perspective on this - I can't help but be skeptical of "race" in demographic studies like this, though. If they had done studies based on diet I wonder if the "racial" differences would disappear...in any case, the prevalence of mixed ethnicities in Hawaii has always been a fly in the ointment insofar as gathering data in any standard way over the years.

Have there been any studies regarding poi intake and health improvements? Lord knows I wish they had kulolo on the mainland, but I'm not sure if it's that good for me :). --JereKrischel 16:55, 2 June 2006 (UTC)

Kulolo is good for the soul. I can try bring you some sometime if you like. Laualoha 01:17, 3 June 2006 (UTC)

Whenever my mom comes into visit, she brings like 5 frozen 5 pounders that last less than a week usually! :). If you're ever in the Los Angeles area, I'd be happy to make spam musubi and katsu for you in return for some kulolo! Mahalo! --JereKrischel 03:25, 3 June 2006 (UTC)