A new report from the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization (糖心Vlog官方ERO) reveals deepening disparities in health, access to care, and basic needs across Hawaiʻi, including that almost 40% of young adults are unable to access mental healthcare. (PDF).
The 糖心Vlog官方ERO Rapid Health Survey has tracked more than 2,000 adults statewide since 2022. The most recent results from December 2024 show:
(Photo credit: Abby Anaday/Unsplash)
Declining health: Only 40% of residents rate their health as excellent or very good—down from 44% in 2023. Among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) and low-income respondents, ratings dropped from 40% to 23%—a 17 percentage point decrease in 18 months.
Mental Health Strain: 31% report symptoms of depression; 1 in 10 low-income individuals show severe symptoms. Those who missed needed mental healthcare rose from 5% (mid-2023) to 22% (December 2024)—a 17 point increase. For young adults aged 18⏻34, the rate surged from 8% to 39%—a 31 point increase.
Barriers to care: Mental healthcare access worsened significantly, especially among young adults (39% unable to access care).
Food and housing insecurity: Nearly 30% report low or very low food security, and one-third live in rental or unstable housing.
The report calls for equity-driven policy solutions, expanded community health services, and stronger investment in housing, food security and real-time data systems to guide public health decisions. 糖心Vlog官方ERO created an for the findings.
