Sāmoan student says family inspired her health research

For the Sāmoan Language version of this article, click here

Aniva Hunkin, a Sāmoan University student, is dedicated to improving cardiovascular health among Pacific men.

“It's the land of milk and honey, so they say. So I don't know why we're not winning the race.

“I want our people to lift each other up, and this is all God's work.’’

While studying for her Master of Science, Hunkin’s research was inspired by her personal experience.

She shared her story with PMN Samoa host Auimatagi Lesa Lani Alo.

‘’My research was inspired by family occurrences and my own personal story. My father, in 2022, was diagnosed with cardiovascular disease Lani.

Aniva Hunkin interviewed her father, Henry Hunkin, about his CVD journey. Photo Samoa Newshub supplied

‘’So I was inspired to sort of look at how this impacts the wider Pacific communities because I could see there's a lot of research now and more and more.’’

Aniva Hunkin’s research focuses on the psychological well-being of Pacific fathers and their whānau diagnosed with cardiovascular disease (CVD).

It incorporates Pacific ideologies related to health and wellbeing, such as family, community, and faith.
She explores how Pacific men’s views on cardiovascular health influence current statistics.

Currently, two out of five deaths from heart disease among Pacific peoples occur in those aged 35 to 65.

By linking her research to cultural values, Hunkin highlights factors such as late detection, educational gaps, and stress.

She aims to improve these statistics or raise awareness about this critical issue.

‘’The biggest epidemic in the world is mental health, and whether we like to accept it or not, our Pacific cultures have yet to sort of accept or, I guess, understand a little bit more about how we navigate mental health and well-being.’’

Watch the full interview from PMN Sāmoa here.

‘’What does it look like in our Pacific cultures? Does it exist in our cultures, Lani? What is it in our vocabulary? You know, things like wellbeing, mental health and wellbeing, you know, all these things.’’

In her interview with PMN Sāmoa, she passionately discusses her goal of exploring the causes and impacts of cardiovascular disease in Pacific men.

Through this important research, she aims to find effective ways to provide support and emphasises the need for more participants to gather comprehensive research findings.

‘’I'm just looking for Pacific fathers and their families. For those of our Pacific fathers who've been diagnosed with heart disease, our research is looking into mental health and well-being. As we mentioned earlier, our Pacific communities are disproportionately affected by heart disease.

‘’And so it's a very important body of research that we're trying to investigate because the answers need to be sought from our communities themselves.’’

If you or your aiga wish to take part in this research, please get in touch with Aniva Hunkin via email at fhun899@aucklanduni.ac.nz