Question: I would like more information about the Native Hawaiian health survey that was in the news, but I couldn’t find the full report. Can you provide? Also, how did they define Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander?
Answer: Find the full “Chartbook on Health Conditions and Behaviors of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Persons in the United States, 2014,” at 808ne.ws/nhpihealth. It was released last week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on information collected from 11,000 people in 2014.
Health survey responses were collected from individuals who self-identified as Native Hawaiian and/or Pacific Islander alone or in combination with any other race. The Pacific Islander category includes Samoan, Guamanian or Chamorro, and Other Pacific Islander. That last category (Other Pacific Islander) includes specific racial identities, such as Tongan, Fijian and Marshallese, as well as general ones, such as Polynesian, Micronesian, Melanesian and Pacific Islander. Details of the survey’s methodology are found on Pages 6-7 of the 99-page report.
As for the health findings, according to the report’s summary of results: “Compared with Asian adults, NHPI adults had higher rates of a range of health conditions, including lower back pain, serious psychological distress, asthma, and cancer. The prevalence of some health conditions, including cancer, ulcers, and diabetes, did not differ significantly between NHPI and black adults. Samoan adults were more likely than Native Hawaiian and Guamanian or Chamorro adults to have lower back pain and any physical difficulty, and they were less likely to have a healthy body weight. Native Hawaiian adults were more likely than Pacific Islander adults to have asthma. Single-race NHPI adults had higher rates of diabetes and were more likely to report at least one heavy drinking day in the past year, but they were less likely to have asthma, compared with multiple-race NHPI adults.”
Q: My neighbor complained about my car blocking a driveway, but it’s my own driveway! (I have houseguests who I let park in the driveway, and I parked on the street because I leave so early for work). The neighbor objected anyway because he said it’s a bad example that others will follow and it won’t be temporary, like for me.
A: Regardless of your neighbor’s rationale, the law is on his side, according to the Honolulu Police Department. HPD’s website says vehicles must be parked at least 4 feet away from a public or private driveway, even if it’s your own driveway. Likewise, make sure your houseguests pull far enough forward. According to HPD, “it is illegal for parked vehicles to block any portion of a sidewalk, even if the sidewalk connects to your private driveway.”
Auwe
Auwe to the cabdriver in the silver-gray van who was driving recklessly on the freeway from the Dole Street onramp until the offramp to Middle Street and the airport Friday morning (he was probably delivering passengers to the airport). He was seen trying to annoy another driver by changing lanes and braking suddenly although there weren’t any cars in front of him. I wonder how his passengers felt riding with him. — Anonymous Observer
Mahalo
In May my wife, daughter and I went to the Aina Haina McDonald’s for dinner. We took a handful of my daughter’s gift cards to pay for the meal. We ordered and handed over the cards. Little did we know that there was little money left on any of the cards. How embarrassing! And we had forgotten to bring any real money. The very gallant manager came to our rescue and treated us to our meal. What a wonderful experience. — Two grateful seniors
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
