HRSA Awards $12.5 Million to Strengthen Health Care for Native Hawaiians

HRSA Administrator Elizabeth Duke today announced grants worth more than $12.5 million to help six health care systems across the state of Hawaii to improve comprehensive disease prevention, health promotion, and primary health care services to Native Hawaiians.

“Native Hawaiians confront barriers to accessing health care that significantly impact their overall health,” said HRSA Administrator Elizabeth M. Duke. “These funds will help them get effective, holistic health care in an environment they trust.”

Many Native Hawaiians have cultural beliefs regarding their health that differ from the standards of Western medicine. Geographic isolation from health services is also a serious barrier for many Native Hawaiians in Hawaii.

As a result of these and other barriers, Native Hawaiians suffer disproportionately from many chronic diseases, which underlie premature disability and high morbidity and mortality rates. When compared to other groups, Native Hawaiians have significantly higher rates of diabetes mellitus, heart disease, obesity, stroke, asthma, hypertension, dental caries, and cancer.

This program benefits more than 6,500 Native Hawaiians by providing the following:

• Outreach services to inform Native Hawaiians of the availability of health services;
• Education in health promotion and disease prevention of the Native Hawaiian population by, wherever possible, Native Hawaiian health care practitioners, community outreach workers, counselors and cultural educators;
• Services of physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners or other health professionals;
• Immunizations;
• Prevention and control of diabetes, high blood pressure, and otitis media;
• Pregnancy and infant care; and
• Improvement of nutrition.

The list of grant recipients follows:

Native Hawaiian Health Care Program

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The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), part of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable. For more information about HRSA and its programs, visit www.hrsa.gov.