Collaborative Alcohol Research Development and Planning

University Of Hawaii At Manoa, Honolulu HI

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Hawaii is a unique state. Geographically, it is the most isolated group of islands in the world. Hawaii's special multicultural population numbers 1,211,537 and there is no ethnic majority, over 60% are Asian or Pacific Islanders. None of these population characteristics would matter much in the alcohol field if ethnicity was not associated with drinking patterns and alcohol related problems. However, the existing evidence indicates that ethnicity is related to drinking patterns as well as to the problems associated with drinking. The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine is well equipped to address problems related to alcohol in multicultural populations through education and research. Additionally, the work proposed in this application builds on an existing, successful partnership with a research-intensive institution on the mainland, the University of Texas School of Public Health, and a recognized alcohol researcher, Dr. Raul Caetano. With these considerations, this application has the long-range goal of establishing and sustaining a program in alcohol research that focuses its efforts on the disproportionate rates of alcohol consumption in minority populations and on cultural perspectives necessary for accessing these groups, conducting research and developing programs, especially with regards to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Specifically, we plan to (1) conduct collaborative alcohol epidemiology research development through pilot projects and feasibility studies including (a) alcohol use, stress, and pregnancy complications in an ethnically diverse sample; (b) patterns of alcohol consumption and alcohol related problems among Filipino, Japanese, Hawaiian, and Caucasian adults in Hawaii; and (c) psychosociocultural risk and protective factors for alcohol use among youth in Hawaii's community and criminal justice system; (2) to formalize a plan for alcohol research training and mentoring of minority scientists at the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine in collaboration with the University of Texas, including curriculum, student selection process and other administrative matters; and (3) to develop a strategic plan to disseminate alcohol research results to health care professionals, and the minority community in collaboration with the University of Texas, as well as community and local groups in Hawaii. [unreadable] [unreadable]