Hawaii News

Hawaiʻi again ranks in top 10 of nation’s healthiest states

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Hawaiʻi once again is among the nation’s healthiest states, ranking eighth in the America’s Health Rankings 2024 Annual Report.

The latest ranking, however, is a drop from sixth place in 2023.

“For many key indicators of public health, the data show that Hawaiʻi performs exceptionally well,” said Hawaiʻi Department of Health Director Dr. Kenneth Fink. “However, in certain areas — primarily economic factors and certain personal behaviors — there are opportunities for improvement.”

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Hawaiʻi ranked No. 1 for health outcomes, led by the lowest rates in the United States for reported frequent mental distress and racial disparities in premature death, second-lowest rate of adult obesity and third-lowest rate of adults with multiple chronic conditions.

The islands ranked No. 7 overall in critical care, having the lowest rates in the nation for avoided care because of cost and preventable hospitalizations. Hawaiʻi was second-lowest in percentage of uninsured.

However, the state’s ongoing shortage of medical professionals was apparent, with Hawaiʻi ranking 28th in the number of medical health providers and 34th for primary care providers.

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Data was also collected about the health of the economy, Hawaiʻi’s physical environment and personal behaviors, all factors that affect general public health.

The state ranked 36th on the Economic Hardship Index, which includes such factors as crowded housing, dependency, low levels of education, per capita income, poverty and unemployment.

Despite scoring top marks for low rates of air pollution and drinking water violations, the islands also ranked 50th in terms of severe housing problems — including overcrowding, lack of basic household facilities and cost-burdened occupants.

  • Key findings for Hawaiʻi in the America’s Health Rankings 2024 Annual Report. (Screenshot from report)
  • Key findings for the United States overall in the America’s Health Rankings 2024 Annual Report. (Screenshot from report)
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Other areas where Hawaiʻi performed poorly were:

  • Insufficient sleep: No. 50.
  • Volunteerism: No. 45.
  • E-cigarette use and excessive drinking: Both No. 44.
  • Voter participation: No. 34.

America’s Health Rankings analyzes more than 280 unique measures from more than 80 publicly available databases to provide a state-by-state assessment of the nation’s health and well-being.

Visit the 2024 annual report page and click on “State Summaries” to see more of Hawaiʻi’s data.

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