Ha Kupuna: National Resource Center for Native Hawaiian Elders

摘要

Native Hawaiian elders are recognized as sources of wisdom and transmitters of knowledge to younger generations. Unfortunately, Native Hawaiians experience poorer health than other ethnic groups in Hawai‘i. Established in 2006, the goal of Ha Kupuna: National Resource Center for Native Hawaiian Elders at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa is to create and disseminate knowledge on the health of kupuna (elders) to improve kupuna health and the delivery of services to them. Researchers affiliated with Ha Kupuna emphasize an interdisciplinary approach, which draws from the College of Health Sciences and Social Welfare (CHSSW), with primary emphasis from social work and public health. The Center has conducted numerous quantitative and qualitative studies over the past decade. Findings from quantitative studies confirm that Native Hawaiians continue to have the lowest life expectancy and highest rates of death before age 70 compared to Japanese, Filipino, and Caucasian residents. Findings from qualitative studies suggest that Hawaiians elders may be unaware of their worse health status. Like other ethnic groups, however, they prefer to age in place and receive respectful and accessible services. While family members are the primary caregivers, meeting the challenges of aging requires additional resources and support. Data are synthesized and presented through multiple avenues accessed by Native Hawaiian communities, scholars, and instructors in the CHSSW. For example, an article in The Gerontologist, assigned in several UHM classes, which summarizes health data from research by Ha Kupuna and other CHSSW researchers, posits reasons for poorer health among Native Hawaiian elders, and recommends changes to practice that will improve outcomes. Along with its two sister National Resource Centers for Native Elders—in Anchorage and in North Dakota—Ha Kupuna won the 2015 award for excellence in multicultural aging from the American Society on Aging.