Rural Health Disparities in Hawai‘i

from UHERO, August 25, 2024

Health can be different in rural and city areas for many reasons. For example, rural places might not have as many healthcare services. This makes it harder for people to get good care. But rural areas are closer to nature and often have close communities. This can be good for health. Studies on how rural living affects health in the US have shown mixed results. There have not been any studies for Hawai‘i before.

This report looks at health differences between rural and city areas in Hawai‘i. We used data from a health survey done in June 2023: the UHERO Rapid Survey. We looked at things like age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, education, and disability to see how they relate to health and rural living.

We found some big differences in health between rural and city residents in Hawai‘i. Living in a rural area was strongly linked to overall health. The effect was bigger for physical health than mental health. People with disabilities and people with low incomes in rural areas faced the biggest health differences.

Our findings suggest that health policies should aim to reduce differences between rural and city areas. It is especially important to help groups like people with disabilities and people with low incomes in rural areas. These groups need additional support.

read … Full Report

SA: UHERO report spotlights rural health care needs

SN: UHERO study documents rural health disparities 

BIN: University of Hawai‘i report finds islands’ rural residents face major health challenges