Ruben Juarez

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

Investigating and Tackling Barriers and Needs for Small Business Success in Honolulu

This report examines the state of small businesses in Honolulu in 2024, using both quantitative data and qualitative insights to identify key needs, challenges, and opportunities for growth. A combination of a large-scale survey with 1,024 respondents and in-depth interview discussions with 11 small businesses provided a comprehensive view of the small business ecosystem.

Maui Wildfire Exposure Study and Registry Workshop

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. […]

The Maui Wildfire Exposure Study receives $2.3M from the State of Hawaiʻi

The MauiWES project co-led by UHERO’s Ruben Juarez has received $2.3 million in funding from the State of Hawaiʻi. This funding will help MauiWES grow its participant base and establish a survivor registry.

Rural Health Disparities in Hawai‘i

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 […]

The Maui Wildfire Exposure Study receives a $1.4M grant from NIH

The Maui Wildfire Exposure Study (MauiWES) led by Ruben Juarez (UHERO) and Alika Maunakea (JABSOM) has received a $1.4 million grant from the NIH to help fund the research of the long term health and social impacts of the Maui wildfires.

Maui Wildfire Exposure Study: Community Health, Wellbeing, and Resilience

The Maui Wildfire Exposure Study (MauiWES) is the most comprehensive study focused on understanding and mitigating the health and social impacts of the Maui wildfires. It aims to fill a gap in knowledge about the effects of environmental hazards and socioeconomic challenges on the health and wellbeing of those exposed to the wildfires. Over at […]

Ruben Juarez’s work on the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study featured in The Guardian