Publications

Publication: The effects of the pandemic on the economy of Hawaii

December 9, 2022

Abstract: Hawaii was vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic due to its reliance on tourism. This article analyzes the pandemic’s economic impact in Hawaii by comparing outcomes with the pre-pandemic forecast. We explain why Hawaii’s experience differed from other states, suggest reasons for a slow recovery, and discuss the pandemic’s lasting effects. Bond-Smith, Steven, and Peter […]

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Non-native fallows hold high potential for restoration through agroforestry in a Pacific Island ecosystem

November 3, 2022

Abstract: Agricultural land abandonment affects millions of hectares of cultivated lands globally. While ending cultivation can lead to spontaneous reforestation and ecological benefits, the resulting landscapes often have lower social and agricultural benefits than the native forests and agricultural systems they replace, especially when non-native species dominate successional pathways. This is the case in many […]

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Publication: Tourism water use during the COVID-19 shutdown: A natural experiment in Hawai‘i

September 28, 2022

Abstract: Many popular tourist destinations are on small islands whose resources are in limited supply, and the effects of climate change and burgeoning tourism tend to worsen the outlook. In this study, we identify the relationship between tourism and water use on the Hawaiian island of O‘ahu. Hawai‘i closed almost entirely to tourism during the […]

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Vaccine-Associated Shifts in SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity Among the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Population in Hawaii

September 16, 2022

Abstract: Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHPIs) across the country have experienced significant disparities because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pacific Alliance Against COVID-19 used a community-based participatory approach involving academic and community partners to expand sustainable COVID-19 testing capacity and mitigate the severe consequences among NHPI communities in Hawaii. We describe the approach […]

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Dynamics of Trust and Consumption of COVID-19 Information Implicate a Mechanism for COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Uptake

August 31, 2022

Abstract: Vaccine hesitancy remains a significant barrier to achieving herd immunity and preventing the further spread of COVID-19. Understanding contributors to vaccine hesitancy and how they change over time may improve COVID-19 mitigation strategies and public health policies. To date, no mechanism explains how trust in and consumption of different sources of information affect vaccine […]

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Biocultural values of groundwater dependent ecosystems in Kona, Hawaiʻi

August 24, 2022

New UHERO Environmental Policy and Planning Group study, led by UHERO/WRRC/Botany graduate student Veronica Gibson, illuminates social and cultural values of groundwater dependent ecosystems in Kona, Hawaiʻi.

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Opposing Role of Trust as a Modifier of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in an Indigenous Population

June 14, 2022

Abstract: Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHPIs) were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and remain significantly under-vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. To understand vaccine hesitancy, we surveyed 1124 adults residing in a region with one of the lowest vaccination rates in Hawaii during our COVID-19 testing program. Probit regression analysis revealed that race/ethnicity was not directly associated […]

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Financial Implications of COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction Tests on Independent Laboratories

June 9, 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, independent laboratories provided critically needed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests (Current Procedure Terminology Code: 87635) to identify positive COVID-19 patients. The Families First and Coronavirus Relief Act and CARES Act require commercial insurance plans to cover COVID-19 testing costs without any cost-sharing for patients, but do not set the price.1,2 Prior […]

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Managing for diverse coastal uses and values under sea level rise: perspectives from O’ahu, Hawaiʻi

June 7, 2022

Effective and equitable coastal decision-making under sea level rise requires managing for multiple coastal uses and values. A new publication led by UHERO’s Environmental Policy and Planning Group analyzes how decision-makers in Hawaiʻi perceive diverse uses and values of beaches and coastlines to be important and how they see recognition of these uses and values ideally shaping […]

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