An Exploratory Mixed Method Cross-Sectional Study to Identify Opportunities to Increase Enrollment and Retention of Native Hawaiian Students in an Undergraduate Dietetic Program.

Background: Native Hawaiians (NH) are underrepresented in dietetics, contributing to less than 1% of the profession nationally. Increasing the number of NH Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) is one mechanism to facilitate improved health outcomes in disparate populations.

Objectives: 1) Identify and summarize NH student interests in the field of nutrition and dietetics; 2) Identify and contextualize factors that support and prohibit achievement of academic goals and aspirations; 3) Identify NH students' responsibility to the community; 4) Explore the context around NH alumni enrollment in nutrition and dietetics and their perceived impact of RDNs in the community; 5) Identify and describe supporting agencies that foster academic and professional success.

Pathway out of poverty: a values-based college-community partnership to improve long-term outcomes of underrepresented students.

Background: Native Hawaiians, representing 25% of Hawai'i's population, suffer socioeconomic and health strains as evidenced by overrepresentation in low-wage jobs without health insurance and a higher prevalence of chronic disease compared with Hawai'i's other ethnic groups. Native Hawaiians are more likely to attend community colleges than 4-year colleges and have high dropout rates.

Objective: To describe a culturally relevant, community-based action research approach to build a program to keep Hawaiians in college to advance career options and improve long-term health and socioeconomic outcomes.

Engaging nurse aide students to develop a survey to improve enrollment and retention in college.

Background: Students from lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds have historically experienced high rates of college dropout. Surveys often are used to assess supports and barriers (SB) to college enrollment and completion, and findings drive the design of interventions to improve student recruitment and retention. However, standard surveys may not include questions that solicit the breadth of issues facing low-income minority individuals.

Supports for and barriers to healthy living for Native Hawaiian young adults enrolled in community colleges.

Introduction: Physical inactivity and lower levels of education are associated with increased risk for obesity and chronic disease. Compared with other racial/ethnic groups in Hawai'i, Native Hawaiians have a higher prevalence of chronic disease, including diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. In 2000, 72.

Adapting evidence-based strategies to increase physical activity among African Americans, Hispanics, Hmong, and Native Hawaiians: a social marketing approach.

Introduction: Using a social marketing approach, we studied how best to adapt proven, evidence-based strategies to increase physical activity for use with underserved racial or ethnic groups.

Methods: We conducted focus groups with low-income Hispanic women in Texas, Hmong parents and their children in California, low-income African American women and men in the Mississippi Delta, and Native Hawaiian college students in Hawaii. We also interviewed key leaders of these communities.