New MauiWES Study Published in JAMA Network Open

A new paper in JAMA Network Open, a journal of the American Medical Association, led by Dr. Ruben Juarez, Dr. Alika Maunakea, Dr. Daniela Bond-Smith, and the MauiWES team at the University of Hawai‘i, highlights both the challenges and the resilience of communities impacted by the 2023 Maui wildfires.

The study, which followed over 1,100 adults, found that while many survivors experienced ongoing health issues—such as reduced lung function in 1 in 5 participants and depressive symptoms in nearly half—social support played a critical protective role. Individuals who felt supported by family and friends reported fewer mental health symptoms and fewer days affected by health problems, even after high wildfire exposure.

The findings underscore the power of community and connection in disaster recovery, and call for recovery efforts that combine long-term health monitoring with culturally grounded, community-based support systems to strengthen resilience.