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|  University of Hawai'i Manoa |
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| University of Hawai'i Manoa |
Dr. Mau's research focuses on Native Hawaiian health disparities, diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism.
The Native Hawaiian Diabetes Intervention Program is a project focused on determining whether a cultural-based, healthy lifestyles program with family support will have a positive effect on lifestyle behaviors and psychosocial and clinical outcomes. A culturally sensitive, lifestyle intervention program was administered via community peer educators to a population of Native Hawaiians with or at risk for diabetes. The effect of this intervention program on selected outcomes is being compared to a ''standard'' program given to a similar population in a second Native Hawaiian community.
The long term mission of the PILI 'Ohana Program is to integrate community wisdom and expertise with scientific methods to conduct research on health disparities with a specific emphasis on obesity in NHs and PPs. Recognizing that recent advances in medicine such as the reduction of cardiovascular disease mortality and the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus, have not translated into benefits for all sectors of the U.S. population, especially ethnic and racial minority populations, the PILI 'Ohana Program aims to address this gap through community-academic partnerships focused on interventions to promote change in obesity-related disparities in NH and PP communities. One of the scientific goals of the PILI 'Ohana Program focused on designing and implementing research activities aimed at completing a pilot intervention study to provide the basis for a more definitive, hypothesis-driven 5-year research study in the future.