Ethnic identities and lifestyles in a multi-ethnic cancer patient population.
This report examined ethnic identity in 367 recently diagnosed cancer patients in Hawai'i's primary ethnic groups: Japanese, Hawaiians, Europeans, and Filipinos. The study assessed ethnic self-identify; definitions of and participation in different ethnic lifestyles; and relationships between measures of ethnic self-identity, lifestyle, and other indicators of ethnic and cultural affiliations. Results indicated that medical record-based ethnic indicators were well linked to individual self-reports of family pedigree. Self-descriptors included non-standard terms such as "American" and "Local," and respondents reported following between five and six different ethnically-associated ways of life. Multivariate analysis indicated that ethnic self-identity made a unique contribution that went beyond standard ethnic and acculturative markers in explaining lifestyles. This study provides strong support for multiculturalism in this ethnically heterogeneous population.
Gotay
Carolyn Cook
CC
Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i, University of Hawai'i, USA. cgotay@crch.hawaii.edu
Holup
Joan
J
D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005260:Female; D006254:Hawaii; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records / Q000145:classification; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D044468:Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander / Q000523:psychology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology*; D012649:Self Concept; D012933:Social Identification; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology