Guam National Health Interview Survey

The goal of this project is to establish a survey data center at the University of Guam, informed by a Community Partnership Advisory Board and with guidance from the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. The specific aims are to: 1) enhance the information technology capacity to support secured data collection, curation, and archival at the University of Guam; and 2) use the infrastructure to conduct the National Health Interview Survey with a probability sample of 500 households in Guam.

 

Survey launch: June 2024

 

 

Summer Internship for Indigenous Peoples in Genomics in Micronesia (SING)

The SING Micronesia program aims to enhance the knowledge of genetics and its social implications among indigenous Micronesian communities through a week-long internship hosted at the University of Guam. Participants will get a combination of in-class instruction and hands-on experience in the laboratory. Additionally, there will be an emphasis on understanding the real-world effects and implications of genetic research in our region. This program connects Micronesian communities with top researchers in the region, the US, and worldwide. 

 

Program dates: July 15-19, 2024

Website: https://www.uog.edu/singmicro

 

Guam Gout and Hyperuricemia Study

This project is looking at the distribution of hyperuricaemia and gout in the Pacific, and also the genetic signatures which may contribute to the high prevalence of metabolic disease observed in certain Pacific populations. There is already some information that suggest that Micronesians, like Polynesians, are particularly prone to these diseases. There is archaeological evidence to suggest that gout is an ancient disease in Micronesia, so it cannot be purely ascribed to relatively recent changes in diet or lifestyle associated with modern life. What we are trying to determine is how and when these genetic signatures may have become so common in Pacific populations. The process of colonizing the Pacific and subsequent events affecting the genetics of populations in the region may have changed the frequency of markers which contribute to metabolic disease.

 

Guam Social Vulnerability Index

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) produces social vulnerability index (SVI) maps and estimates for all states. The CDC also provides a SVI and maps for Puerto Rico. However, the SVI remains to be constructed for Guam, a U.S. territory in the western Pacific. To narrow this gap, researchers sought to calculate the SVI for the municipalities and census designated places (CDPs) in Guam and assess SVI associations with select health indicators among Guam residents.

 

Article: Natural Hazards Center || Calculating the Social Vulnerability Index for Guam (colorado.edu)

 

Pacific Islands Cohort of College Students

Content coming soon.

• KUAM news: Guma’ Tinemtom launches first-ever Guam National Health Interview Survey

• SVI publication: Natural Hazards Center || Calculating the Social Vulnerability Index for Guam