People living in rural areas of Hawai‘i disproportionately face more health challenges than those who live in urban areas, according to a report by the University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization.
Researcher Daniela Bond-Smith said the study confirms significant disparities in the state.
“It’s not necessarily clear that this is what you find across the board because there are health benefits associated with rural living, like living close to nature or living in close-knit communities,” she said.
Bond-Smith said residents in rural areas have consistently lower health.
UHERO surveyed 1,551 Hawai‘i residents — more than 20% living in rural areas — in June last year.
Some key findings were that residents in the rural area reported having 43% lower odds of perceiving their overall health as excellent compared to those in non-rural areas, and having a disability and living in rural areas is associated with an additional two days or weeks of life activities restricted by physical health issues compared to people with disabilities in nonrural areas.
Other findings revealed that Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders mostly live in rural areas, and those who live in rural households reported having lower health conditions than those in non-rural areas.
The study suggested that a rural health policy should be a priority to help marginalized groups, including people with disabilities and those with low incomes.
