Medical school reports Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders hit hardest by COVID-19

Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, like this couple at the State Capitol Building in 2018, account for about 27% of the state population and only 0.5% of the US population. (Screenshot footage by Alfred Acenas, EBC Hawaii Bureau)

 

By Alfred Acenas
EBC Hawaii Bureau

HONOLULU (Eagle News) – A new study by the University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) released on Friday, May 1, reports that the highest rate of novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) positive cases in several US states, including Hawaii, are among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) more than other racial and ethnic groups.

The research showed as high as 217.7 cases per 100,000 in NHPI residents in at least five states: Hawaii, California, Oregon, Utah and Washington. The rates of COVID-19 positive cases within these states are greater than those reported for African Americans and Native Americans, two racial/ethnic groups that have been receiving much of the national attention regarding COVID-19 risk.

Indigenous peoples share similar concerns that put them at an increased risk for COVID-19 and other related problems. These include limited access to healthcare services, more chronic and infectious diseases and poorer economic and living conditions.

“These are all long-standing health concerns for indigenous people that predate the arrival of COVID-19, but they are even more concerning now,” said Keaweʻaimoku Kaholokula, professor and chair of JABSOM’s Department of Native Hawaiian Health, who has been tracking and analyzing the data.

According to Kaholokula, the higher risk of infection among NHPI is linked to preexisting and underlying inequities in the social determinants of health across racial and ethnic groups that are ubiquitous in the US. These include:

  1. High rates of chronic disease. NHPI have among the highest rates of these chronic medical conditions, and associated mortality rates, compared to other ethnic groups in Hawaii as well as the larger US.
  2. High rates of smoking and vaping. NHPI, especially adolescents and young adults, have the highest rates of smoking and vaping compared to other racial and ethnic groups.
  3. Poor access to quality health care. About 20% of NHPI are uninsured compared to 11.4% of non-Hispanic whites.
  4. Overrepresentation in the category of essential workers. A large percentage of the NHPI community is comprised of essential workers, with heavy representation in the military, security, service and healthcare industry.
  5. Lower wages, poorer economic and living conditions. Service-related jobs often do not provide a livable wage. NHPI are more likely than many other ethnic groups to have fewer financial resources and live in larger multi-generational households and densely populated neighborhoods.
  6. Overrepresentation in the incarcerated and homeless population. Native Hawaiians alone comprise 43% of the prison population and, on Oahu alone, 39% of the homeless population.

Kaholokula added, “Despite the higher COVID-19 risk among NHPI, it is important to remember and recognize the resiliency and fortitude of NHPI, communities and their cultural assets that can be leveraged to reduce the adverse impact of COVID-19. NHPI communities continue to flourish while maintaining their unique cultural values, perspectives, practices and aspirations.”

(Eagle News Service)