A descriptive study in American Samoa: services for people with disabilities

State agency service providers of persons with disabilities were surveyed and interviewed in American Samoa to describe and understand the level of services offered within the federal mandates and cultural context. Responses to the survey indicated that a majority of consumers do not request services or complete the application forms themselves. The interviews revealed an important aspect that was overlooked from the initial stages of the study: Many service providers did not have a conceptual understanding of self-determination as defined within a western context. We believe this cultural and contextual difference influenced how they responded to particular questions and perhaps how they engaged in providing services. This preliminary study opens the door for follow up investigations to determine the interplay of culture and federal regulations coinciding within a Pacific Island population.