Publication Date
2-17-2025
Description
Since the 1970s, the population of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NPHI) in Clark County, NV has increased. Between 2011 and 2021, a 40% growth in NHPIs was documented; thus terming Las Vegas Valley as the "Ninth Island.” Socioeconomic demands associated with the cost of living in Hawaii have been the primary reason for this diaspora. Despite moving to mitigate economic challenges, healthcare disparities among NHPIs persist. Throughout the United States, NHPI populations experience among the highest COVID-19 death rates, have a 19.8% prevalence of self-reported diabetes, and have disproportionate cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors compared to White and Asian Americans. Both NHPI healthcare disparities and NHPI population growth in the Valley highlights the imminent need to evaluate healthcare access amongst this community, as it currently remains understudied. The objective of this study is to compare the prevalence of CVD, diabetes, and long COVID between NHPI populations in Hawaii and Nevada. This study will also evaluate the relationship between associated risk factors and chronic disease prevalence.
NHPI populations in Nevada and Hawaii were compared using 2019-2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. RStudio was used to statistically analyze chronic disease variables (diabetes, CVD, long COVID) with covariates including sex, age, education, employment, and healthcare access.
Initial analysis from the 2022 data demonstrated that out of the total respondents recorded in Hawaii and Nevada, 657 and 22 identified as NHPI, respectively. More NHPI individuals in Nevada reported having diabetes (40% vs 17%), suffering from a myocardial infarction (9% vs 4%), and testing positive for COVID (37% vs 28%) compared to NHPI individuals in Hawaii. Fisher exact tests revealed an association between diabetes and age in Nevada and between diabetes and age, diabetes and insurance, and myocardial infarctions and age in Hawaii (P
More effective approaches for accurately surveying the health of NHPI populations are crucial for US states with significantly growing NHPI diaspora such as Nevada. In addition, omitted BRFSS questions regarding chronic diseases prevent necessary resolutions to the healthcare needs of medically underserved communities.
Disciplines
Community Health and Preventive Medicine | Public Health Education and Promotion
Keywords
BRFSS, NHPI, COVID, Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes, Las Vegas, Hawaii
Document Type
Poster
Recommended Citation
Unciano, Sydney; Tupu, Momilani; Takaki-Nakagawa, Reina; Chenthittayil, Sherli; and Morales-Hernandez, Monica, "NHPI Health of the Ninth Island" (2025). Annual Research Symposium. 27.
https://ecommons.roseman.edu/researchsymposium/2025/public_health/27
Included in
Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Public Health Education and Promotion Commons
NHPI Health of the Ninth Island
Since the 1970s, the population of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NPHI) in Clark County, NV has increased. Between 2011 and 2021, a 40% growth in NHPIs was documented; thus terming Las Vegas Valley as the "Ninth Island.” Socioeconomic demands associated with the cost of living in Hawaii have been the primary reason for this diaspora. Despite moving to mitigate economic challenges, healthcare disparities among NHPIs persist. Throughout the United States, NHPI populations experience among the highest COVID-19 death rates, have a 19.8% prevalence of self-reported diabetes, and have disproportionate cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors compared to White and Asian Americans. Both NHPI healthcare disparities and NHPI population growth in the Valley highlights the imminent need to evaluate healthcare access amongst this community, as it currently remains understudied. The objective of this study is to compare the prevalence of CVD, diabetes, and long COVID between NHPI populations in Hawaii and Nevada. This study will also evaluate the relationship between associated risk factors and chronic disease prevalence.
NHPI populations in Nevada and Hawaii were compared using 2019-2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. RStudio was used to statistically analyze chronic disease variables (diabetes, CVD, long COVID) with covariates including sex, age, education, employment, and healthcare access.
Initial analysis from the 2022 data demonstrated that out of the total respondents recorded in Hawaii and Nevada, 657 and 22 identified as NHPI, respectively. More NHPI individuals in Nevada reported having diabetes (40% vs 17%), suffering from a myocardial infarction (9% vs 4%), and testing positive for COVID (37% vs 28%) compared to NHPI individuals in Hawaii. Fisher exact tests revealed an association between diabetes and age in Nevada and between diabetes and age, diabetes and insurance, and myocardial infarctions and age in Hawaii (P
More effective approaches for accurately surveying the health of NHPI populations are crucial for US states with significantly growing NHPI diaspora such as Nevada. In addition, omitted BRFSS questions regarding chronic diseases prevent necessary resolutions to the healthcare needs of medically underserved communities.
