Health

Publication: Vog: Using Volcanic Eruptions to Estimate the Impact of Air Pollution on Student Test Scores

June 25, 2025

We pair variation stemming from volcanic eruptions with the census of Hawaii’s public schools’ student test scores to estimate the impact of PM2.5 and SOM2 on student performance. Increased particulate pollution decreases test scores. These results are concentrated among schools with the highest long-term average levels of pollution. The effects of PM2.5 are larger for […]

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Publication: Rural health disparities: Evidence from Hawaiʻi

June 20, 2025

This article examines how rurality contributes to health disparities in the Hawaiian Islands using data from the June 2023 wave of a statewide health survey. We analyze self-reported health outcomes alongside sociodemographic factors including age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, education, and disability. Our findings show that rurality is one of the strongest predictors of poorer health […]

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From Crisis to Recovery: Health and Resilience Two Years After the Maui Wildfires

June 18, 2025

Nearly two years after the August 2023 wildfires, many people in Maui are still living with the emotional, physical, and social effects of the disaster. The flames are gone, but their impact remains. Launched in January 2024, the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study (MauiWES)—the largest post-disaster health cohort in Hawai‘i’s history—is now following 2,000 adults and […]

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Public Health Report: Hawai‘i’s Health and Wellbeing Journey Over Time — Monitoring Equity and Access

May 21, 2025

The UHERO Rapid Health Survey is a statewide longitudinal study offering one of the most comprehensive real-time assessments of health equity in Hawai‘i. Launched in 2022, the survey has completed four major waves, with the most recent concluding in December 2024. It tracks over 2,000 adults and provides disaggregated data on physical and mental health, […]

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Roots Reborn: “Our Financial Future” – Insights into the Challenges and Opportunities Facing Maui’s Immigrant Community

May 16, 2025

By Ruben Juarez, Veronica Mendoza Jachowski, Lily Solano, and the Roots Reborn Team Background and PurposeIn February and March 2025, Roots Reborn launched Our Financial Future, a community-driven initiative to support immigrant wildfire survivors through direct financial aid, banking access, and financial education. Drawing on nearly 300 participants, the initiative employed two comprehensive, culturally attuned […]

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New Study Reveals Food Insecurity as a Major Driver of Mental Health Challenges in Hawaiʻi

February 24, 2025

A study published today in Frontiers in Public Health provides a comprehensive examination of how socioeconomic factors, particularly food insecurity, shape mental health outcomes among working adults in Hawaiʻi. The research, co-led by Ruben Juarez, the UHERO-HMSA Professor in Health Economics, and Binh Le, a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization […]

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Maui Wildfire Exposure Study and Registry Workshop

December 23, 2024

By Ruben Juarez and Alika Maunakea Enhancing Resilience: Building Sustainable Health Registries for Disaster-Affected CommunitiesDecember 4-7, 2024, Lahaina, MauiWorkshop Summary, Lessons Learned, and Steps Forward Executive Summary The Maui Wildfire Exposure Study and Registry (MauiWES) represents the most comprehensive community-based initiative to date for examining both immediate and long-term health outcomes following the Maui Wildfire. […]

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Rural Health Disparities in Hawai‘i

August 25, 2024

This report examines the health disparities between rural and non-rural areas in Hawai‘i, using data from the June 2023 UHERO Rapid Survey. While rural areas offer benefits like proximity to nature and strong community ties, they also face challenges such as reduced access to quality healthcare. Our analysis reveals significant health disparities, particularly among people […]

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Recent findings from the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study featured in The Washington Post

May 15, 2024

A new report details respiratory ailments, mental health conditions and lack of access to medical care following the deadly fire in Lahaina in August.

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