Fewer painkillers in paradise
Reprints
Could rainbows, sunshine and clear blue waters be the reason Hawaiians rely less on painkillers than states on the mainland?
While no researcher or analyst could point to a definitive reason, Hawaiians rely far less on opioids than the rest of the country, according to an analysis by ProPublica and reported on NPR Thursday.
"Hawaii is so different," Dr. Chien-Wen Tseng, a family physician and health services researcher at the University of Hawaii, told NPR. "I think there is more of a cultural thing that says we don't want to overuse medications."
Often dubbed the healthiest state in the union in polls, some experts say the focus on fitness and healthy food might only be part of the story. Demographics may also play a role, according to the report.
With a large Asian population, Hawaii’s residents are more likely to embrace alternative medicine therapies including acupuncture and chiropractic manipulation, Claudio Nigg, professor and director of the health behavior change research workgroup at the University of Hawaii's Office of Public Health Studies, told the radio news network.
Also, he said, Hawaiians rely on their families and extended families for help rather than seeking medications. "The tendency is more towards social wellness and family taking care of family," Mr. Nigg told a reporter.
Read Next
-
Woman fakes death several times to collect life insurance
Claiming she was “addicted to money,” a New Zealand woman faked her death three times in an attempt to collect nearly $3 million in insurance money, New Zealand’s news web site Stuff reported on Monday.
