Office of Public Health Studies

The vision of the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health is achieving social justice and health equity for the people of Hawaiʻi and citizens in a changing world. We strive to achieve and support this goal in teaching, research, and service. 

The difficulties rural-dwelling Native Hawaiian kūpuna (elders) face when seeking healthcare is the focus of a new study conducted by the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

An analysis of nearly two decades of data revealed Native Hawaiian study participants had more than twice the risk of developing gout as older adults, relative to White participants. Black and Japanese participants had the second and third highest risk, respectively.

Pedestrian deaths are on the rise in Hawaiʻi and the nation, but it is easy to miss that statistic when local newspapers and television stations cover the traffic crashes as isolated events.

New public health research shows that emergency department (ED) visits by Native Hawaiian children with asthma account for the largest proportion of the total statewide costs for potentially preventable visits for children’s asthma.