Native Hawaiians have long endured health disparities compared to other races. Using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 2006 and 2007 for the State of Hawai'i, this study identified specific health behaviors, actions, and socioeconomic factors among 479 individuals. The purpose was to shed light on the disparity between Native Hawaiians and Whites living in Hawai'i in maintaining diabetes treatment and overall health. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to measure the strength and direction of the relations between social and emotional support, life satisfaction, and health outcome variables: sense of general health, blood sugar testing, doctor visits, length of time since last eye exam, and foot exams. Seven social characteristic variables—ethnicity, sex, age, income, education level, marital status, and health insurance—were also measured.

Findings revealed that the interaction of socioemotional support and race significantly predicted reported general health. Native Hawaiians' perceptions of receiving social and emotional support were higher than Whites'. As their satisfaction with life improved, Native Hawaiians tested their blood sugar more often and had shorter lengths of time since their last eye exam. Life satisfaction also significantly predicted Native Hawaiians' sense of general health. These findings indicate that social and emotional support and life satisfaction are important to Native Hawaiians in the context of their sense of general health, management of diabetes treatment, and prevention strategies of diabetes-related complications and risks. Native Hawaiians can be better served by healthcare professionals when taking into consideration this population's high value of general health predicated by their emotional and social and emotional support of friends and family.