Hawaii Asian-American Response to the Staying Healthy After Fifty Program

Abstract

A nationwide project conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons, the American Red Cross, and the Dartmouth Institute for Better Health to disseminate a health promotion program for older adults included a study to test its ability to serve different ethnic minorities. This article reports how the Staying Healthy After Fifty Program, designed for the general United States population, was introduced into the State of Hawaii, how it was adapted for use with two Asian-American groups, the Japanese and Filipinos, and on the benefits reported by participants. To determine the appropriateness and effectiveness of the adapted SHAF program, a quasi-experimental design, involving a test group and a comparison group whose members completed questionnaires at three points in time, was used. The results of the data collected from the Hawaiian population were consistent with the results of the general U.S. population study. Improvements were made by both groups at a similar rate in the health skills, health activities, and health care cost skills areas. Participants were very pleased with the course and its quality, as noted in the high ratings of course satisfaction. © 1989, Sage Publications. All rights reserved.