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The following is a summary of “Trauma and Mental Health in Pacific Islanders,” published in the March 2024 issue of Psychiatry by Subica et al.
The enduring impact of trauma and mental health on understudied indigenous-colonized populations remains widely unknown. Addressing mental health disparities requires exploring the unique experiences and needs of these communities.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to investigate and assess trauma prevalence and its associations with mental health and substance use among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders (NH/PIs) in the U.S.
They studied 306 NH/PI adults using online, telephone, and in-person community-based research methods, collecting data on trauma, depression, anxiety, substance use, and treatment needs while employing descriptive statistics and adjusted regression models.
Results showed that 69% of participants experienced lifetime trauma with a mean exposure to 2.5 different trauma types. Rates of childhood physical abuse (34%), sexual abuse (25%), and lifetime forced sexual assault (27%) surpassed general population rates. Both women and men had equal difficulty handling trauma. As hypothesized, increased exposure to multiple trauma types is associated with depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and the likelihood of needing treatment.
Investigators concluded that trauma is commonly overlooked in NH/PI populations, which significantly impacts their mental health. While the current findings address crucial gaps, they underscore the importance of screening and treating NH/PI patients to mitigate mental health disparities.