Healthy in Hawaii

How healthy are we in Hawaii?

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity,” according to the World Health Organization.

America’s Health Rankings follows this definition of health when it presents its annual report, evaluating 35 markers of health that cover behaviors, community and environment, policy, clinical care and outcomes data.

Their 2018 America’s Health Rankings Annual Report helps counties understand what influences how healthy residents are and how long they will live. Hawaii ranked #1 for overall health in 2018. This is the 9^th time that Hawaii has been ranked #1 since the health rankings were first published in 1990.

Hawaii’s strengths. Our strengths include a low prevalence of obesity and a low prevalence of frequent mental distress.

“Low prevalence” is a relative term – 23.8% of adults are obese (compared to 31.3% nationally) and 9.5% of adults report frequent mental distress (compared to 12.4% nationally). For a state with temperate weather and a wealth of outdoor activities, 23.5% of adults are physically inactive.

Hawaii’s challenges. Our challenges include high prevalence of excessive drinking, which increased 7% from 19.7% to 21.1% of adults (compared to 19.0% nationally); and high prevalence of diabetes, which increased 40% from 7.8% to 10.9% of adults (compared with 10.5% nationally).

These “strengths” and “challenges” are to some extent within our control.

Obesity and diabetes are influenced by genetics and medical history, but can be managed by addressing contributing factors such as diet and physical activity. Mental distress and anxiety are a part of life, but prolonged and serious episodes are treatable and preventable through early intervention and access to care.

Excessive drinking is another matter. “Unlike other health behaviors, higher educational attainment is associated with a greater prevalence of this negative health behavior on average,” the report concludes.

Overall, the good news is that in the past five years, the percentage of uninsured people in Hawaii decreased 53% from 7.8% to 3.7% of the population (compared to 8.7% nationally). And on a related note, we have a relatively low prevalence of health disparity or access to health care based on education – 13.3% of adults (compared to 29.9% nationally).

The most alarming news is that the number of children living in poverty has increased 14.0% from 10.1% to 11.5% in 2017 (compared to 18.4% nationally). Children in poverty have little control over their lives, but they may suffer from chronic stress, unreliable access to food and healthcare, and lack of stable housing.

How healthy are you – physically, mentally, and socially? What changes can you make in your life today to become healthier – and help make Hawaii a little healthier?

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Tags: America's Health Rankings, Health, United Health Foundation

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