Hawai'i journal of medicine & public health : a journal of Asia Pacific Medicine & Public Health
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Hawaii J Med Public Health · Sep 2017
The Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Scripts: Precision Medicine Through the Use of Pharmacogenomics: Current Status and Barriers to Implementation.
The precision medicine initiative brought forth by President Barack Obama in 2015 is an important step on the journey to truly personalized medicine. A broad knowledge and understanding of the implications of the pharmacogenomic literature will be critical to the achievement of this goal. While a great amount of data has been published in the areas of pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics, there are still relatively few instances in which the need for clinical intervention can be stated without doubt, and which are widely accepted and practiced by the medical community. As our knowledge base rapidly expands, issues such as insurance reimbursement for genetic testing and education of the health care workforce will be paramount to achieving the goal of precision medicine for all patients.
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Hawaii J Med Public Health · Mar 2017
High School Football Players Use Their Helmets to Tackle Other Players Despite Knowing the Risks.
There is greater attention to head-related injuries and concussions in American football. The helmet's structural safety and the way that football players use their helmets are important in preventing head injuries. Current strategies include penalizing players for high-risk behavior such as leading with their helmet or hitting an opposing player above the shoulder. ⋯ However, many participants said that putting a soft cover over their regular helmet was a bad idea for various reasons. Most young football players use their helmets to block or tackle despite being taught they would be penalized or potentially injured if they did so. By gaining a better understanding of why and how players use their helmets and how they would respond to new helmet designs, steps can be taken to reduce head injuries for all levels of play.
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Hawaii J Med Public Health · Jan 2017
Life Expectancies in Hawai'i: A Multi-ethnic Analysis of 2010 Life Tables.
The objective of this study is to examine longevity disparities in Hawai'i by race/ethnicity and gender based on age-specific death rates in 2010. Abridged life tables for Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Hawaiians, and Caucasians in Hawai'i are presented for the age groups: <1, 1-4, every 5-year interval from 5-84, and 85+ years for the year of 2010. Death data were provided by the Hawai'i Department of Health Office of Health Status Monitoring, and population data were based on 2010 Census modified based on ethnicity estimates from the Hawai'i Health Survey. ⋯ Racial/ethnic disparities in longevity can be partially explained by differences in socioeconomic status, health behaviors, health care access, and racism. Native Hawaiians continue to have the shortest life expectancy of the ethnic groups examined, requiring expanded efforts to address Native Hawaiian health across the life course. Our findings also support more ethnic-specific research to understand the health care needs and utilization patterns of each group.
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Hawaii J Med Public Health · Dec 2016
Impact of Helmet Use on Injury and Financial Burden of Motorcycle and Moped Crashes in Hawai'i: Analysis of a Linked Statewide Database.
Helmet use reduces injury severity, disability, hospital length of stay, and hospital charges in motorcycle riders. The public absorbs billions of dollars annually in hospital charges for unhelmeted, uninsured motorcycle riders. We sought to quantify, on a statewide level, the healthcare burden of unhelmeted motorcycle and moped riders. ⋯ Unhelmeted riders were twice as likely to self-pay (19.3%, versus 9.8% of helmeted riders), and more likely to have Medicaid or a similar income-qualifying insurance plan (13.5% versus 5.0%, respectively). Protective associations with helmet use are stronger among motorcyclists than moped riders, suggesting the protective effect is augmented in higher speed crashes. The public financial burden is higher from unhelmeted riders who sustain more severe injuries and are less likely to be insured.
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Hawaii J Med Public Health · Oct 2016
Case ReportsA 23-year-old Man with Leptospirosis and Acute Abdominal Pain.
Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by the spirochete Leptospira interrogans. Most cases of leptospirosis are mild to moderate, and self-limited. ⋯ Although leptospirosis is common in Hawai'i, few patients present with pancreatitis. This report of leptospirosis-induced pancreatitis should help raise awareness of clinicians to assess for pancreatitis when evaluating a patient with leptospirosis and acute abdominal pain.