Micronesian Counselor, Issue 53

Hezel, Francis X. (2004-11-20). Micronesian Counselor, Issue 53. Micronesian Counselor (Report). Kolonia, Pohnpei: Micronesian Seminar. pp. 1–8.

• Has attachment: File:YQYBE8HU.pdf

Abstract: The lead article, Health Over the Years in Micronesia, by Francis X. Hezel, S.J., surveys the history of health conditions in the region. Beginning with limited evidence from pre-contact genealogies and skeletal remains, it reviews the introduction of epidemic diseases during the 19th century, missionary observations on mortality, and the dramatic impact of Western contact on population levels. The essay highlights how improvements in medical care under successive administrations gradually reduced death rates and extended life expectancy.

Additional sections compare colonial-era health programs in the Marshall Islands, Chuuk, and Pohnpei, and note contemporary challenges such as non-communicable diseases and malnutrition. The issue also references data from Kosrae, Yap, and Palau, outlining shifts from infectious disease as the leading cause of death to chronic conditions associated with modernization.