#Ruben Juarez

The 2023 Maui wildfires were linked to significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety among residents, with impacts extending beyond the burn zones and closely tied to housing and income disruption. That’s according to a new University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa study published March 11 in “JAMA Psychiatry.”

Food insecurity is a key driver of poor mental health in Hawaiʻi, according to a new study by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers.

The Maui Wildfire Exposure Study (MauiWES) is putting on a wellness festival at the UH Maui College Great Lawn this Saturday, Sept. 28 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. All are welcome to come together for a day of fun and wellness.

Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the devastating Maui wildfires, the most comprehensive study focused on understanding and mitigating the health and social impacts of the fires, has received a $1.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue its groundbreaking work.

The grassroots, community based initiative aims to recruit at least 1,000 individuals affected by the wildfires to participate in the study. Current recruitment events take place: Feb. 23 from 3-7 p.m. at the Royal Lahaina Resort, Feb. 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lahaina Civic Center, and Feb. 25 from 10 am. to 2 p.m. at the Ritz Carlton in Kapalua. 

A new Public Health Report from the University of Hawaiʻi found almost 2 in 3 adults in the state reported negative effects on mental health, food security, job security, housing and poverty, with 12% saying a friend had died and 9% losing a family member.