Hawaiian values guide students in seeing health not just as a biological phenomenon but as a social, cultural, and spiritual practice rooted in place.

Colonialism did not just change Hawaiʻi’s politics and economy — it left a lasting imprint on the health of its people.

From Red Hill’s water contamination to the highest houselessness rate in the nation, inequities run deep. Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders face disproportionately high rates of diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and shortened life expectancy. Nearly one in three young adults report symptoms of depression, while houselessness and food insecurity remain pressing challenges across the islands.

Because health resources are concentrated in Honolulu, families in West Oʻahu face longer travel times to hospitals, fewer provi

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