Mapuana Antonio, DrPH
Associate Professor
Specialization Head: Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health
Academic Degrees
- DrPH (Community-Based and Translational Research), University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
- Certificate in Measurement and Statistics (EDEP), University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
- MA (Counseling Psychology), Washington State University
- BS (Psychology), Washington State University
Courses Taught
Research Interests
Dr. Mapuana Antonio, Associate Professor and head of the Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health Program, is a Native Hawaiian scholar who works and conducts research with and for Native Hawaiian communities, by applying principles of community-based participatory research. Her research takes a strengths-based and holistic approach to health, healing, and wellbeing by bettering the physical, mental, and spiritual health and wellbeing of Native Hawaiians, with a focus on resilience. Her research expands on definitions of health and resilience to better align with Native Hawaiian worldviews, while addressing core structural and socio-cultural determinants of health. Dr. Antonio is the Principal Investigator (PI) of the Ola HAWAII and PIKO pilot studies Ke Ola O Ka 'Āina, which explores the role of ‘Āina and ‘Āina connectedness in Native Hawaiian health and resilience, a co-lead of the NHIH Summer Health Academy, and most recently, a co-Principal Investigator of Project Mōkiha: Restoring Water and Prosperity Back to Indigenous Communities, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Interdisciplinary Research Leader (IRL) Program. She has training and background in psychology, public health, Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health, community-based participatory research approaches, qualitative research, and quantitative research including psychometrics.
Selected Publications
Peer-Review Journal Articles
Antonio, M. C., Makua, K. L., Keaulana, S., Keliiholokai, L., Vegas, J. K., & Ho-Lastimosa, H. I. (2021). The study of life and food systems for Native Hawaiians based on their environment. AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples. https://doi.org/10.1177/11771801211038263
Antonio, M. C. K., Hishinuma, E. S., Townsend Ing, C., Hamagami, A., Dillard, A., Kekauoha, B. P., Solatorio, C., Cassel, K., Braun, K., Kaholokula, J. K. (2020). A Resilience Model of Adult Native Hawaiian Health Utilizing a Newly Multi-Dimensional Scale. Behavioral Medicine, ahead-of-print, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/08964289.2020.1758610
Antonio, M. C. K., Chung-Do, J. J., Goebert, D. A., Bifulco, K., Alvarez, A. R. G. (2020). Evaluating the impacts of a strength-based and youth-driven approach to suicide prevention in rural and minority communities: A qualitative study. Hawaiʻi Journal of Health & Social Welfare, 79(5, Supplement 1), 96-100.
Antonio M. C. K., Keaulana S., Chung-Do J. J., Ho-Lastimosa I. (2020). (Re)constructing Conceptualizations of Health and Resilience among Native Hawaiians. Genealogy, 4(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/genealogy4010008
non-refereed Journal Articles
Keaulana, S., Antonio, M., Schoch, H., Banna, J. (2019). A Literature Review of the Role of Mindfulness Practices in Nutrition for Mothers and Their Children. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/VV5ZP2WNBD44NV78STVY/full
Book Chapters
Kaholokula, J.K., Hermosura, A.H., Antonio, M.C.K. (2019). Physical Wellbeing of Native Hawaiians, the Indigenous People of Hawai‘i. In Flemin, C., Manning, M., Miller, A. (Eds.), Routledge Handbook Of Indigenous Wellbeing (Chapter 6). London: Routledge.
https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2021/09/02/connection-to-nature-study/
https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2020/09/30/connection-aina-critical-health/
https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2020/05/26/resilience-native-hawaiian-health/