Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPIs) suffer from higher prevalence of and mortality to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) than any other major race/ethnic group in Hawaii. Health inequities in this indigenous population was further exacerbated by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. T2DM progression and medical complications exacerbated by COVID-19 are partially regulated by the gut microbiome. However, there is limited understanding of the role of gut bacteria in the context of inflammation-related diseases of health disparities including T2DM and obesity. To address these gaps, we used a community-based research approach from a cohort enriched with NHPI residents on the island of Oahu, Hawaii (N=138). Gut microbiome profiling was achieved via 16s rDNA metagenomic sequencing analysis from stool DNA. Gut bacterial capacity for butyrate-kinase (BUK)-mediated fiber metabolism was assessed using quantitative PCR to measure the abundance of BUK DNA and RNA relative to total bacterial load per stool sample. In our cohort, age positively correlated with hemoglobin A1c (%; R=0.39; P<0.001) and body mass index (BMI; R=0.28; P<0.001). The relative abundance of major gut bacterial phyla significantly varied across age groups, including Bacteroidetes (P<0.001), Actinobacteria (P=0.007), and Proteobacteria (P=0.008). A1c was negatively correlated with the relative levels of BUK DNA copy number (R=-0.17; P=0.071) and gene expression (R=-0.33; P=0.003). Interestingly, we identified specific genera of gut bacteria potentially mediating the effects of diet on metabolic health in this cohort. Additionally, α-diversity among gut bacterial genera significantly varied across T2DM and BMI categories. Together, these results provide insight into age-related differences in gut bacteria that may influence T2DM and obesity in NHPIs. Furthermore, we observed overlapping patterns between gut bacteria and T2DM risk factors, indicating more nuanced, interdependent interactions among these factors as partial determinants of health outcomes. This study adds to the paucity of NHPI-specific data to further elucidate the biological characteristics associated with pre-existing health inequities in this racial/ethnic group that is significantly underrepresented in biomedical research.
Vaccine hesitancy remains a significant barrier to achieving herd immunity and preventing the further spread of COVID-19. Understanding contributors to vaccine hesitancy and how they change over time may improve COVID-19 mitigation strategies and public health policies. To date, no mechanism explains how trust in and consumption of different sources of information affect vaccine uptake. A total of 1594 adults enrolled in our COVID-19 testing program completed standardized surveys on demographics, vaccination status, use, reliance, and trust in sources of COVID-19 information, from September to October 2021, during the COVID-19 Delta wave. Of those, 802 individuals (50.3%) completed a follow-up survey, from January to February 2022, during the Omicron-wave. Regression analyses were performed to understand contributors to vaccine and booster uptake over time. Individuals vaccinated within two months of eligibility (early vaccinees) tended to have more years of schooling, with greater trust in and consumption of official sources of COVID-19 information, compared to those who waited 3–6 months (late vaccinees), or those who remained unvaccinated at 6 months post-eligibility (non-vaccinees). Most (70.1%) early vaccinees took the booster shot, compared to only 30.5% of late vaccinees, with the latter group gaining trust and consumption of official information after four months. These data provide the foundation for a mechanism based on the level of trust in and consumption of official information sources, where those who increased their level of trust in and consumption of official information sources were more likely to receive a booster. This study shows that social factors, including education and individual-level degree of trust in (and consumption of) sources of COVID-19 information, interact and change over time to be associated with vaccine and booster uptakes. These results are critical for the development of effective public health policies and offer insights into hesitancy over the course of the COVID-19 vaccine and booster rollout.
Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHPIs) across the country have experienced significant disparities because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pacific Alliance Against COVID-19 used a community-based participatory approach involving academic and community partners to expand sustainable COVID-19 testing capacity and mitigate the severe consequences among NHPI communities in Hawaii. We describe the approach of this one-year study, some of the results, and how the data are being used to inform next steps for the communities. Clinical Trials.gov identifier: NCT04766333. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print September 15, 2022:e1–e4. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306973 )
Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHPIs) were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and remain significantly under-vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. To understand vaccine hesitancy, we surveyed 1124 adults residing in a region with one of the lowest vaccination rates in Hawaii during our COVID-19 testing program. Probit regression analysis revealed that race/ethnicity was not directly associated with the probability of vaccine uptake. Instead, a higher degree of trust in official sources of COVID-19 information increased the probability of vaccination by 20.68%, whereas a higher trust in unofficial sources decreased the probability of vaccination by 12.49% per unit of trust. These results revealed a dual and opposing role of trust on vaccine uptake. Interestingly, NHPIs were the only racial/ethnic group to exhibit a significant positive association between trust in and consumption of unofficial sources of COVID-19 information, which explained the vaccine hesitancy observed in this indigenous population. These results offer novel insight relevant to COVID-19 mitigation efforts in minority populations.
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