Reports

Public Health Report: Initial Findings from the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study

February 8, 2024

Following the devastating wildfires from August 8-11, 2023, the Maui community has faced significant challenges including environmental hazards, air pollution, and toxic substances that pose additional long-term health risks. In response, we launched the Maui Wildfire Exposure Cohort Study (MauiWES).  Our initial findings highlight the critical health needs to address acute conditions, including depression, hypertension, […]

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Estimating the Returns to Higher Education Using Administrative Data: A Case Study of the University of Hawai`i System

January 16, 2024

Read the summary blog post. What is the value of a degree from the University of Hawai`i (UH)? While college tuition has significantly increasednationally, tuition within the UH system has become more affordable over the last ten years when adjusted for inflation. Despite this improved affordability, college enrollment rates among Hawai‘i’s public school graduates have […]

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Economic Impact of the Natural Energy Laboratory Hawaii Authority Tenants on the State of Hawaii in 2022

January 12, 2024

NELHA contracted the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO) to estimate its economic impact on the State of Hawaii. Specifically, this research determined NELHA’s contribution to local business sales, employee earnings, tax revenues, and number of jobs in Hawaii from the expenditures of its tenants in 2022. To estimate expenditures made by NELHA tenants […]

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The Risks of Sea Level Rise: Perceptions and Policy Preferences among Hawai‘i’s Elected Officials

December 4, 2023

Read the summary blog post. Due to its remote geographic location and extensive coastlines, the State of Hawai‘i is particularly vulnerable to climate change and sea level rise (SLR). While Hawai‘i was among the first states to officially recognize the climate crisis and has played a leading role in combating climate change, Hawai‘i’s lawmakers are […]

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After the Maui wildfires: The road ahead.

August 31, 2023

By Steven Bond-Smith, Daniela Bond-Smith, Carl Bonham, Leah Bremer, Kim Burnett, Makena Coffman, Peter Fuleky, Byron Gangnes, Rachel Inafuku, Ruben Juarez, Sumner La Croix, Colin Moore, Dylan Moore, Nori Tarui, Justin Tyndall, and Chris Wada The immediate recovery efforts from the devastating Maui wildfires continue, and at UHERO we share our community’s anguish over the […]

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Public Health Report: Shaping Health in Hawaii – The Influences of Poverty, Housing and Food Insecurity

July 12, 2023

In June 2023, UHERO’s public health team, in partnership with the Pacific Alliance Against COVID-19, carried out the third wave of the UHERO Rapid Health Survey. The study engaged 1,575 adult residents of Hawai‘i and examined the links between mental health, food security and socio-economic determinants like housing conditions and poverty status. UHERO’s Colin Moore […]

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The Hawai‘i Housing Factbook

June 28, 2023

Residents of Hawai‘i face the highest housing costs in the nation. High housing costs lower the standard of living for residents and hinder the State’s ability to attract workers. Some households are forced to live in crowded conditions, some leave the state to find housing elsewhere, and some are forced to survive without housing at […]

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Kaua’i County’s Economic Outlook Unveiled: UHERO Study Highlights Resilience and Future Challenges

June 1, 2023

The University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization (UHERO) is proud to announce the publication of a Kaua‘i County-focused Economic Outlook, providing crucial insights into the economic landscape of the region for the first time since 2019. Commissioned by the County of Kaua‘i’s Office of Economic Development (OED), UHERO’s comprehensive study aimed to illuminate key sectors, […]

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Public Health Report: Vaccination Booster Uptake Lags as COVID Impact Reach Widens

January 5, 2023

As we enter a new phase of the pandemic, Hawai‘i’s populations are becoming more confident that the worst of the pandemic is behind us, driving COVID-19 booster uptake down. However, significant impacts exacerbated by the pandemic, including long COVID, mental health issues, and the negative effects of long COVID on unemployment pose significant challenges that warrant […]

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