The Exile of Hansen's Disease Patients to Moloka'i: A Diffusion of Innovations Perspective.
This article analyzes the exile of patients with Hansen's disease (leprosy) to Moloka'i (Hawaii) by applying the diffusion of innovations (DoI) theory. Developed by Rogers, DoI posits that an innovation (i.e., idea, movement, or trend) is initiated within a culture. Then, it is diffused via particular channels across diverse cultures. Instead of evolving independently, innovations diffuse from one culture to another through various forms of contact and communication. In the context of this analysis, the objective is to examine how the diffusion of certain ideas, namely, abolishing the stigma associated with leprosy, could have improved the lives of Hawaiians. An important premise of this article is that the Hawaiian government barely applied the tenets of DoI, which is the reason why many people lost their lives. So, this article seeks to explore what could have been done to improve their situation and what pitfalls should be avoided in the future.
a University of Central Florida, UCF-Sanford/Lake Mary , Sanford , Florida , USA.
Adrea
A
Pitman Harris
a University of Central Florida, UCF-Sanford/Lake Mary , Sanford , Florida , USA.
Jonathan
J
Matusitz
D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D006254:Hawaii; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000266:history*; D011634:Public Health; D012934:Social Isolation; D057545:Social Stigma
Communication; Hansen's disease; Hawaii; diffusion of innovations; ideas; leprosy; public health