Publications by authors named "Alvin T. Onaka"

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.

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This study seeks to further elucidate the mother-daughter hormonal relationship and its effects on daughter's breast cancer risk through the association with early age at menarche. Four hundred and thirty-eight healthy girls, age 9-18 and of White, Asian, and/or Polynesian race/ethnicity, were recruited from an HMO on Oahu, Hawaii. Anthropometric measures were taken at a clinic visit, and family background questionnaires were completed.

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Objective: We examined differences among seven major ethnic groups in Hawaii in life expectancy at birth (e[0]) and mortality at broad age groups.

Methods: We constructed life tables for 2000 for Caucasian, Chinese, Filipino, Hawaiian, Japanese, Korean, and Samoan ethnic groups in Hawaii. We partitioned overall mortality into broad age groups: <15 (representing premature mortality), 15-65 (representing working age), and 66-84 and > or =85 (representing senescent mortality).

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The present study addressed whether diabetes mellitus was a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) death. Between 1976 and 1984, 927 (404 men) Japanese-Americans in Hawaii aged 40-79 years participated at baseline examination including a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. Diabetes was defined as fasting serum glucose >or=140 mg/dl, 2 h postload glucose >or=180 mg/dl, or the use of drugs for diabetes.

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PURPOSE OF THE PAPER: The purpose of this paper is to test if the previously identified disparity in mortality rates among full Hawaiians, part Hawaiians, and non­Hawaiians in the state of Hawaii has continued into the 1990s. SUMMARY OF METHODS UTILIZED: Based on Hawaii vital records and population data, standardized age­specific mortality rates by cause and 95% confidence intervals were estimated. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The most striking finding was the significant differences in mortality rates in four age strata ­­ 45­54, 55­64, 65­74, and 75­84 ­­ with mortality rates highest for full Hawaiians, lowest for non­Hawaiians, and intermediate for part Hawaiians.

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