Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 12, 1 December 2003 — UH authorizes Department of Hawaiian Health [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

UH authorizes Department of Hawaiian Health

By Sterling Kini Wong The University of Hawai'i Board of Regents has authorized the establishment of a Department of Native Hawaiian Health (DNHH) within the university's John A. Burns School of Medicine. According to a U.H. press release, the department, whieh will address the health problems of Native Hawaiians, was established in response to the creation of federal agencies to investigate and improve the disparity in the health care status of minority groups. The DNHH program has actually been operating since 2002 on a five-year, $5 million investment from the Queens Medical Center. In October, the Board of Regents officially authorized the program as an official university department. Diane Paloma, a DNHH specialist, said the department seeks to heeome an academic center committed to improving the health of Native Hawaiians through research, education and health care practices. Paloma said the department will develop research projects that will examine why Native Hawaiians have the worst health statistics of any population group in Hawai'i, suffering the highest rates of diabetes, cancer and heart disease. In addition, she said, the department will educate and train Native Hawaiians pursuing degrees in medicine, whieh in turn should encourage more Native Hawaiians to enter the medical field. ■

Ho'ona'auao

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