Experts call for interdisciplinary study of childhood exposure to environmental contaminants

ANN ARBOR—The recent public health crisis in Flint, Mich., underscores a need for scientists to better understand the relationship between environmental contaminants and child development, say researchers at The University of Michigan and their collaborators. In a paper published in July in the journal Childhood Development Perspectives, scientists from U-M’s Institute for Social Research (ISR)… Continue reading Experts call for interdisciplinary study of childhood exposure to environmental contaminants

Biological process linked to early aging, death among poor in Detroit

ANN ARBOR—The stress of living in extreme poverty causes early onset of age-related diseases and takes years off the lives of many of the urban poor—evidence at the cellular level now shows, according to a University of Michigan-led study. A multi-university team of social scientists, cellular biologists and community partners measured telomere length of poor… Continue reading Biological process linked to early aging, death among poor in Detroit

U-M researcher available to discuss new Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander National Health Interview Survey

ANN ARBOR — University of Michigan researcher Sela Panapasa is available to discuss the significance of the National Health Interview Survey of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) peoples that started this month. “This is the first time in half a century that the federal government is collecting nationally representative health information from such a… Continue reading U-M researcher available to discuss new Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander National Health Interview Survey

Panapasa comments on negative health effects for Samoans of some high-fat imported foods

Sela Panapasa says inexpensive high-fat foods imported to the Republic of Samoa — for example, Spam, mutton flaps, and turkey tails — are the kinds of foods that have contributed to Samoa’s high rates of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. A 2007 ban on several such products, however, is being lifted to comply with WTO rules… Continue reading Panapasa comments on negative health effects for Samoans of some high-fat imported foods

High obesity and smoking rates among Pacific Islanders: U-M study

  ANN ARBOR, Mich.—In the first study to detail the health of Pacific Islanders living in the U.S., University of Michigan researchers have found alarmingly high rates of obesity and smoking.  The preliminary findings are being presented today (August 24) at a conference in Los Angeles on health disparities among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.… Continue reading High obesity and smoking rates among Pacific Islanders: U-M study

Panapasa and colleagues find high rates of smoking, obesity among Pacific Islanders

Sela Panapasa says that, although Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are the second fastest growing minority population in the U.S., they have been underrepresented in national surveys on health and health behavior. Her work looks at Tongans and Samoans, two PI subgroups, living in California. She finds health disparities between these populations and other Californians… Continue reading Panapasa and colleagues find high rates of smoking, obesity among Pacific Islanders

Panapasa highlights need to understand health disparities of Pacific Island population in US

The [Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Health Disparity and Health Equity Conference](http://healthcarecommunities.org/showcontent.aspx?id=4294975376) in Los Angeles, Sept. 24-25, 2012, will feature preliminary findings from the Pacific Islander Health Study, the first representative survey to assess this community in the US. Sela Panapasa, PI of the study, says: “The goal of this conference is to increase awareness… Continue reading Panapasa highlights need to understand health disparities of Pacific Island population in US