Associate Professor
antoniom@hawaii.edu | (808) 956-2334 | Biomed C-103
Specialization Head: Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health
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
- PH 305 Native Hawaiian Health Determinants (3)
- PH 630 – Cultural Competency in Health Care (3)
- PH 635 – Indigenous Health Seminar (3)
- PH 688 – Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems, Environment and Health (3)
- PH 789 – Integrative Seminar (2)
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
Selected Peer-Review Publications
Antonio, M. C. K., Keaulana, S., Ing, C. T., Williams, M., Dillard, A., Kekauoha, B. P., Kenney, M., Marshall, S. M., Cassel, K., Abrigo, S., Kauhane, M., & Kaholokula, J. K. (2024). A psychometric analysis of the adapted historical loss scale and historical loss associated symptoms scale among native Hawaiian adults. Frontiers in Public Health, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1356627
Antonio, M. C. K., Felipe, K., Keaulana, S., Furukawa, S. K., Taitague-Laforga, M., Irvine, J. L., Makua, K. L., Vegas, J. K., Keli‘iholokai, L., & Ho-Lastimosa, H. I. (2024). Cultural practice and ‘Āina connectedness as tenants of Mauli Ola, Optimal Health and Wellbeing. Genealogy, 8(2), 39. https://doi.org/10.3390/genealogy8020039
Antonio, M. C. K., Keaulana, S., Keli‘iholokai, L., Felipe, K., Vegas, J. K., Pono Research Hui, W., Limu Hui, W., Ke Ola O Ka ’Āina Research Team And Thought Partners, & Ho-Lastimosa, I. (2023). A Report on the Ke Ola O Ka ‘Āina: ‘Āina Connectedness Scale. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), 3302–. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043302
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., 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
Opinion Papers, Op.Eds., and Columns
Qina‘au, J., & Antonio, M. C. K. (2023). Wellbeing for all: Indigenizing theories and measures of wellbeing for equitable sustainability. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 979109–979109. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.979109
Book Chapters
Braun, K. L., Harjo L. D., Burhansstipanov, L., Kawakami, K. L., Palakiko, D.-M., McElfish, P. A., Dela Cruz, M. R. I., Antonio, M. C. K, Sanderson, P. R. Bauer, M. C. & Teufel-Shone N. I. (2022). Addressing Racism in Indigenous Health. In Burhansstipanov L. & Braun K.L. (Eds.), Indigenous Public Health: Improvement through Community-Engaged Interventions (Chapter 3) University Press of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.
Kaholokula, J. K., Hermosura, A. H., Antonio, M. C. K. (2017). 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). Australia: Routledge.
