Loan application process now fully digitised – NELFUND Punch Newspapers
source
Advocacy group warns federal budget cuts could cost 16 million their health coverage – Savannah Morning News
Federal budget cuts aimed at Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act could eventually cost 16 million Americans their health insurance coverage, and Georgia would not be immune from the impact, a health care advocacy group is warning.
The state already lags most of the country in The Commonwealth Fund’s performance indicators. Their new report, 2025 Scorecard on State Health System Performance, ranked Georgia 45th — behind all of its neighbors. The scoring is derived from indicators such as health care access and affordability, infant mortality rates and potentially avoidable emergency room visits.
The rankings are based on 2023 data, when 16% of Georgians from age 19 to 64 were uninsured compared with a national average of 11%.
Health care cuts in the budget reconciliation bill by the U.S. House of Representatives would reduce the insured population in two ways, the report says.
It predicts more than 8 million would become uninsured in less than a decade if Affordable Care Act (the ACA) premium tax credits are allowed to expire and new marketplace enrollment requirements are implemented.
And it says about 8 million more would become uninsured if proposed Medicaid work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks are enacted.
Georgia already has work requirements for its Pathways to Coverage program, a limited form of Medicaid expansion rolled out by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2023.
If the rest of the country imposes such work requirements, other states will see higher administrative costs and lower enrollment, said Sara Collins, a vice president at The Commonwealth Fund. Georgia enrolled a relatively small number in Medicaid “at an enormous federal and state expense that far outweighed what it would have cost just to do a normal Medicaid expansion,” she said.
Kemp has declined to expand Medicaid more broadly, fearing — perhaps prophetically — that Congress would reduce funding and force states to shoulder a larger share of the costs.
But Georgia still won’t be immune if the cuts come, Collins said. Because fewer Georgians had access to Medicaid, more of them chose the marketplace subsidized by the ACA tax credits.
They may face big premium increases as soon as November, with many falling off the ACA rolls by next year, she said. “The passage of the bill would still have a very big effect on people in non-expansion states like Georgia,” she said, adding that hospitals, doctors and other medical providers who rely on insured patients would also be affected.
Leave a Comment
Emotional outbursts in children linked to depression in teen years – Medical Xpress
Sign in with
Forget Password?
Learn more
share this!
Share
Tweet
Share
Email
June 18, 2025
by University of Edinburgh
edited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Andrew Zinin
scientific editor
lead editor
This article has been reviewed according to Science X’s editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content’s credibility:
fact-checked
peer-reviewed publication
trusted source
proofread
Young children who struggle to control their emotions and behavior have more symptoms of anxiety and depression as teenagers, a study says.
Children who had difficulty managing intense emotions at age seven were more likely to show signs of mental health issues such as despair, sadness and worries at ages 11, 14 and 17, research found.
The University of Edinburgh study is among the first to examine the links between early patterns of emotion regulation and teenage mental health.
The findings suggest that helping children to develop emotion regulation skills when they are young could help reduce mental health issues in adolescence, researchers say.
Experts analyzed a large dataset to test whether children who have a problem with regulating their emotions at age seven are more likely to show internalizing behaviors—such as sadness, worry and fear—as teenagers.
Adolescence is a critical period for the onset of internalizing problems. A third of adolescents experience depression and around a fifth are affected by an anxiety disorder, researchers say.
The team examined data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study which follows the lives of around 19,000 young people born in 2000–02.
The researchers analyzed questionnaires and interviews which surveyed parents and teachers on young people’s emotional problems at ages 11, 14 and 17.
They used statistical techniques to compare children with different levels of emotional regulation skills at age seven on their mental health in adolescence, taking into account factors like their earlier mental health and behavior.
Findings showed that a tendency to show signs of emotion regulation difficulties like mood swings, often getting over-excited and being easily frustrated at age seven were significantly associated with internalizing behaviors such as anxiety and depression symptoms in the teenage years.
This was the case even when other factors such as pre-existing mental health issues were taken into account.
The link was present until age 17, suggesting a sustained effect of intense emotions in the early years, the researchers say.
Dr. Aja Murray, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, who led the study, said, “Our findings suggest that early emotion regulation issues are a precursor to later mental health challenges in adolescence. They suggest that supporting children to learn emotion regulation skills early could help reduce these later issues.”
The study is published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
Dr. Angela Hind, CEO of the Medical Research Foundation, said, “Many mental health conditions first emerge in adolescence, and today up to one in five young people in the UK are living with mental health problems. This is a terrible burden on both young people and society.
“By identifying factors in young children that may increase vulnerability to mental health problems in their teenage years, this research brings us closer to shifting from treatment to prevention—enabling early, targeted interventions in childhood that have the power to change the course of young lives.”
More information: Aja Murray et al, Is emotion dysregulation in childhood a precursor to internalising problems in adolescence?, Journal of Affective Disorders (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119433
Explore further
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Feedback to editors
10 hours ago
0
14 hours ago
0
Jun 17, 2025
0
Jun 17, 2025
0
Jun 16, 2025
1
36 minutes ago
1 hour ago
2 hours ago
3 hours ago
3 hours ago
3 hours ago
4 hours ago
4 hours ago
4 hours ago
4 hours ago
Nov 21, 2024
Jan 20, 2025
Apr 29, 2025
Sep 29, 2023
Jan 11, 2025
Jun 9, 2021
1 hour ago
7 hours ago
4 hours ago
8 hours ago
6 hours ago
Jun 17, 2025
Children with difficulties regulating emotions at age seven are more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression throughout adolescence, even after accounting for earlier mental health issues. Early emotion regulation challenges show a sustained association with internalizing behaviors up to age 17, highlighting the importance of early intervention to reduce later mental health problems.
This summary was automatically generated using LLM. Full disclaimer
Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form. For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines).
Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request
Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.
Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.
Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient’s address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Medical Xpress in any form.
Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we’ll never share your details to third parties.
More information Privacy policy
We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X’s mission by getting a premium account.
Daily science news on research developments and the latest scientific innovations
The latest engineering, electronics and technology advances
The most comprehensive sci-tech news coverage on the web
Leave a Comment
Leave a Comment
Fitness and friendship. Clients, colleagues remember the life of Downers Grove Park District trainer Pete Wilt – Shaw Local
To his many of his clients, Downers Grove Park District fitness instructor Pete Wilt was not only a trainer but a friend (Photo Courtesy Downers Grove Park District)
When Keith Drankiewicz took a cousin with Parkinson’s Disease to the Downers Grove Park District for fitness training, he never expected the trainer would become a good friend.
But that’s exactly what happened after he met Pete Wilt “six or seven years ago.”
Clients and colleagues aren’t surprised. They say that happened often with people who met Wilt.
“We had a lot to talk about. He was a great guy. I considered him a real good friend,” said Drankiewicz, 76, a Woodridge resident.
He and many other clients and coworkers lost that “real good friend” when Wilt, a trainer at the fitness center for more than 22 years, died on April 30.
Marie Klaus, fitness supervisor at the center, said Wilt died from cardiac arrest during his cancer treatment. She called his passing “very shocking.”
“When I reached out to his clients, they were devastated. The hardest part was nobody got to say anything to him and let him know how much of an impact he had,” Klaus said.
Anna Aquino is well aware of the positive impact Wilt made. She and Wilt started as trainers in Downers Grove in 2003.
“We were among the original five or six trainers hired. We did work together for 22 years,” Aquino said.
What set him apart as a trainer was “he was really knowledgeable and good about keeping his knowledge up to date,” she said.
“He always had the most recent science behind his suggestions and he was very good at explaining thing to clients.
“You have to be able to read your audience. He was good at connecting with people and he made the time spent with him fun,” Aquino, 58, of Naperville, said.
That approached worked with fellow trainers, too, Klaus said.
“When we brought new trainers on board, he always offered to help them. He was always willing to help,” Klaus said.
Klaus said Wilt had the knack of “making everyone feel like they belonged. … People knew him all around the fitness center, even if they didn’t train with him. … He was such a popular guy.”
Drankiewicz knows all about that.
“Pete would design things for you. He would take into consideration your age and what your body could do,” Drankiewicz said.
And if he came in hurting one day?
Wilt would “change things on the fly, off the top of his head.”
Another client, Dave Wildermuth, said he and Wilt had plenty in common.
“He had been a basketball referee for many years. And I played basketball when I was a young man. It’s still my favorite sport. We’d talk basketball, but more than sports, (we’d talk about) what was happening in the political arena,“ Wildermuth said.“We became real good friends.
Most would say, ‘Oh, I’m not looking forward to seeing my trainer this week.’ I was just the opposite. I always looked forward to it. It’s just so sad,” said Wildermuth, 75, of Downers Grove.
He and wife enjoyed seeing Wilt at the Morton Arboretum for the Christmas lights display each year. Wilt worked there as a volunteer and gave them passes each year.
Wildermuth, who received a new hip last year, said Wilt “seemed to specialize dealing with older folks.”
He thinks naming the training room for Wilt is a great idea.
“I suggested to Marie the board consider naming it the Pete Wilt Training Room. We’ll see where that goes,” he said.
He noted that on May 30 a ceremony was held naming the center the Cathy Mahoney Recreation Center, 4500 Belmont Road.
Mahoney was instrumental in getting the center built and served on the park board from 2005 to 2023 in various roles. Naming the training room for Wilt would be up to the park board, Klaus said.
Klaus said Wilt made her feel welcome from the day she started working there in October 2023.
“He had seen several supervisors in his day, being there 22 years, but he always told me ‘you’re doing such a great job.’ “
“That made me feel good. It meant a lot to me because (this job) was something I’d never done before. That’s something I’ll always remember,” Klaus said.
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Leave a Comment
India targeting Sikh separatist movement in N. America: Canada – Griffin Daily News
Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. High near 85F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..
A few clouds. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: June 18, 2025 @ 1:38 pm
(L/R) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney greets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Group of Seven Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada on June 17
(L/R) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney greets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Group of Seven Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada on June 17
India has a “clear intent” to target members of a Sikh separatist movement in North America, a Canadian intelligence report said Wednesday after leaders of the two nations agreed to turn the page on a bitter spat over an assassination.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who took office in March, welcomed his counterpart Narendra Modi to the Canadian Rockies as a guest at a summit of the Group of Seven major economies.
They agreed during bilateral talks on Tuesday to name new high commissioners, as ambassadors are known between Commonwealth nations, in hopes of restoring normal operations for citizens and businesses.
A rift had emerged after Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau publicly accused India of involvement in the assassination of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil and expelled the Indian ambassador, triggering a furious reciprocal response from India.
In a report published on Wednesday, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service said the slaying of Hardeep Singh Nijjar near Vancouver signaled “a significant escalation in India’s repression efforts against the Khalistan movement and a clear intent to target individuals in North America.”
CSIS also identified India as a persistent foreign interference threat, along with China, Russia and others.
“Canada must remain vigilant about continued foreign interference conducted by the government of India, not only within ethnic, religious and cultural communities, but also in Canada’s political system,” CSIS said.
The agency said it would continue to monitor India’s activities in Canada, while a police investigation into Nijjar’s murder continued.
Canada is home to the largest Sikh diaspora outside India. Making up about two percent of the Canadian population and clustered in suburban swing areas, the community has exerted growing political influence.
Nijjar, a naturalized Canadian citizen who advocated for an independent Sikh state called Khalistan, was shot dead in the parking lot of a Sikh temple in British Columbia in June 2023.
India has denied involvement in the killing and said Canada should take more action against violent advocates for Khalistan, which has been reduced to a fringe movement inside India.
The United States has also accused an Indian agent of involvement in an unsuccessful plot against a Sikh separatist on US soil.
At the conclusion of the G7 summit in Kananaskis, all of the leaders issued a statement that condemned state-sponsored “transnational repression,” including targeted assassinations.
amc/acb
Originally published on doc.afp.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Sign up today to have our e-edition delivered to your inbox.
Stay Informed: Sign up for our newsletter so you can receive news updates every publication day.
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.
griffindailynews.com
128 N. Hill St.
Griffin, GA 30223
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
Leave a Comment
Maui residents’ recovery sees gains, but health and housing challenges persist – University of Hawaii System
Nearly two years after the devastating August 2023 wildfires, new findings from the largest post-disaster health study in Hawaiʻi’s history—led by the University of Hawaiʻi—paint a complex picture: steady progress in some areas of recovery, but continued health and housing challenges, particularly for children and vulnerable groups.
Now following 2,000 adults and children, the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study (MauiWES) shows encouraging trends in emotional healing and expanded access to health insurance. However, the latest data also reveal persistent physical and mental health burdens, as well as stark warning signs among the newly enrolled cohort of children—whose struggles underscore the urgent need for pediatric care, trauma-informed services and long-term investment.
Data collected from the full cohort of 1,800 adults through January 2025 echoed 2024’s findings and revealed the long arc of recovery. Overall, 42% of adults report worse health compared to the previous year. Half show depressive symptoms, 26% report moderate-to-severe anxiety, and 4.2% have had suicidal thoughts in the past month. Meanwhile, 74% have elevated or hypertensive blood pressure, and more than a quarter show reduced lung function.
While insurance coverage has improved significantly—with fewer than 10% now uninsured—access to care remains a persistent barrier. About one in three participants report difficulty scheduling appointments or getting prescriptions, especially for chronic and respiratory conditions.
About 41% of adults are still living in temporary housing, and 25% remain unemployed but actively looking for work. Despite these struggles, 61% report high levels of support from family and friends—demonstrating the continued strength of community bonds.
Children in the MauiWES study show signs of physical healing, but their emotional well-being raises serious red flags. More than half (51%) of children ages 10–17 screen positive for depression, with 22% in the severe range. About 30% report anxiety symptoms, and nearly 45% still show signs of PTSD—8% at severe levels. One in four report low self-esteem, and many are experiencing functional challenges at school and home.
One in three children had elevated or high blood pressure, with Filipino youth most affected—16% falling into Stage 2 hypertension. Nearly 20% of children have impaired breathing capacity, especially among Asian and Filipino children. Girls show slightly more severe lung issues.
According to the report, these findings point to the need for sustained investment in pediatric care, trauma-informed school services, clean indoor air and culturally tailored mental health programs. Without early intervention, these risks could become lifelong health burdens.
Among the 1,800 adults enrolled in MauiWES, one-year follow-up data is available for 424 participants. Within this group, experts are seeing meaningful signs of recovery. Reports of worsened health dropped from 48% in year 1 to 36% in year 2. Suicidal thoughts declined by nearly half, and rates of severe depression and anxiety fell significantly. These improvements suggest that emotional healing is underway for many.
PTSD remains widespread, affecting nearly one in three participants. Physical health indicators—such as blood pressure and lung function—have worsened for many, pointing to gaps in long-term care. Access to health insurance has improved dramatically, with the uninsured rate cut in half thanks to outreach efforts and programs. Many residents—especially in rural areas—still struggle to get the chronic and respiratory condition care they need.
Nearly half of participants are still in temporary housing, and food insecurity is a common concern. Yet community resilience shines through: most participants report strong support from family and neighbors—underscoring Maui’s strength, solidarity and determination to heal.
Maui is recovering—step by step, community by community. The data suggest that while the road to full recovery remains long, meaningful progress is underway. Strategies such as outreach-driven health insurance enrollment, trusted community partnerships, and culturally rooted social support have helped many residents regain stability. At the same time, long-term challenges such as chronic physical health conditions and trauma recovery as well as permanent housing needs require renewed investment and attention.
“As stability improves, deeper psychological effects are surfacing,” according to the report. “Ongoing longitudinal tracking is therefore critical to keep a pulse on these shifts, build on the trust we’ve earned, and ensure that locally grounded strategies continue to foster healing, resilience, and a healthier future for all.”
See more UH News stories on MauiWES.
Congrats UH Mānoa spring 2025 commencement
Have a story idea or a question?
Contact news@hawaii.edu
If required, information contained on
this website can be made available in
an alternative format upon request.
Get Adobe Acrobat Reader
About
Calendar
COVID-19 Updates
Directory
Emergency Information
For Media
MyUH
Work at UH
English
Gagana Samoa
Kapasen Chuuk
Lea faka-Tonga – Tongan
Tiếng Việt
ภาษาไทย
Ilokano
Tagalog
Cebuano
Kajin Majôl
简体中文
繁體中文
日本語
한국어
Español
ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
Leave a Comment
Fitness Ventures Promotes Bryan Thomas to Chief Fitness Strategy Officer – PR Newswire
Searching for your content…
In-Language News
Contact Us
888-776-0942
from 8 AM – 10 PM ET
Jun 18, 2025, 11:51 ET
Share this article
ORLANDO, Fla., June 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Fitness Ventures proudly announces the promotion of Bryan Thomas to Chief Fitness Strategy Officer (CFSO), a key executive leadership role responsible for shaping the national fitness strategy and driving long-term revenue growth across the company’s personal training and fitness services.
Since joining Fitness Ventures in 2018, Bryan has played a pivotal role in transforming the company’s fitness division into one of the largest and most successful in the Crunch Fitness system. Under his leadership, personal training revenue has grown to represent a substantial percentage of total company revenue—establishing fitness as a critical growth engine and strategic differentiator across the organization.
In his new role, Bryan will oversee national sales performance, pricing strategy, service innovation, and long-term business planning. His focus will be on expanding scalable systems, enhancing member experience, and aligning cross-functional teams to accelerate performance and value creation across all locations.
Bryan has been a core member of the leadership team during two successful private equity transactions, a rare achievement that highlights his business acumen and deep understanding of fitness operations, sales metrics, and team development. His ability to pair visionary thinking with operational excellence makes him uniquely qualified to lead Fitness Ventures’ next phase of growth.
“Bryan’s impact on our business has been extraordinary,” said Brian Hibbard, CEO of Fitness Ventures. “From scaling our fitness division to guiding us through major strategic milestones, he has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, strategic insight, and an absolutely relentless drive for results. Bryan lives up to our “Warrior Spirit” core value on a daily basis. We’re excited to see what’s next as he steps into this critical role.”
As Chief Fitness Strategy Officer, Bryan will continue to serve on the executive leadership team and represent the fitness division in enterprise-level planning, innovation, and board-level reporting.
About Fitness Ventures, LLC
Founded in 2016 by Brian Hibbard, Fitness Ventures, LLC is one of the fastest-growing franchises within the Crunch Fitness system. The Company operates over 70 locations across twenty-eight states, with several more in development. With a unique operating and development strategy and a keen focus on execution, Fitness Ventures LLC operates some of the highest volume Crunch locations in the system and boasts industry-leading financial returns. More at www.fitnessventuresllc.com
About Crunch Fitness
Crunch is a gym that believes in making serious exercise fun by fusing fitness and entertainment and pioneering a philosophy of ‘No Judgments.’ Crunch serves a fitness community for all kinds of people with all types of goals, exercising all different ways, working it out at the same place together. Today, we are renowned for creating one-of-a-kind group fitness classes and unique programming for our wildly diverse members. Headquartered in New York City, Crunch serves three million members with over 500 gyms worldwide in 41 states, the District of Columbia, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, and India. Crunch is rapidly expanding across the U.S. and around the globe.
CONTACT: Hiba Abduljawad, [email protected]
SOURCE FITNESS VENTURES
Fitness Ventures, one of the fastest-growing Crunch Fitness franchisees, has surpassed 500,000 members, marking a major milestone in its continued…
Fitness Ventures, one of the fastest growing Crunch Fitness franchisees, is gearing up to pay tribute to the heroic first responders who selflessly…
Health Care & Hospitals
Fitness/Wellness
Personnel Announcements
Do not sell or share my personal information:
Leave a Comment
Python 101 – Touro University
Join Touro GST’s Web and Application Development workshop on Python this July.
Join us for an exciting introductory Python workshop where you’ll discover the power and versatility of one of the most popular programming languages in the world. Topics covered are:
Python is renowned for its simplicity and readability, making it an ideal choice for beginners and experienced programmers alike. In this workshop, you’ll learn the fundamentals of Python programming, including variables, data types, control structures, and functions. Whether you’re looking to kickstart your coding journey or expand your programming knowledge, this workshop is the perfect starting point. No prior programming experience is required. Come join us and unlock the endless possibilities of Python!
Slava Khaitov is the Instructional Technologist, Canvas LMS administrator, and Touro College instructor in the Graduate School of Technology, Graduate School of Education, and Undergraduate School of Computer Science. He graduated with MS Degree in Instructional Technology from Touro College, and earned his B.S. degree from Moscow State University of Instrumental Engineering and Computer Science.
To register for the Python 101 RSVP NOW!
Questions? Contact Jack Romano
212-463-0400 x 55462, jack.romano@touro.edu
© 2025 Touro University
Touro University treats all employees, job applicants, and students without unlawful consideration of race, ethnicity, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition), age, disability, medical condition, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military service or veteran status, citizenship status, or any other classification protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. We are committed to ensuring the fulfillment of this policy in all decisions, including but not limited to, recruitment, the administration of educational programs and activities, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, placement, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, layoff, suspension, expulsion and termination, and all other terms and conditions of admission, matriculation, and employment. See full non-discrimination statement with contact info.
Leave a Comment
Mental health and poverty remain a struggle for Maui wildfire survivors, new study says – The Guardian
Two years after the devastating fires, many lack access to food, stable housing, work and healthcare
Mental health problems and economic hardship remain widespread among survivors of the Maui wildfire, as access to food, stable housing, work and healthcare remains a struggle for many, according to a study tracking 2,000 survivors.
Two in every five (41%) adults report declining overall health since the August 2023 fire, with the burden falling heaviest on those still exposed to ash, smoke and debris, according to the latest findings of the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study (MauiWES), a pioneering longitudinal research initiative by the University of Hawaii (UH) and local community groups.
Half of the study’s 1,800 adult participants are suffering depressive symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue, loss of appetite, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, and poor concentration, while one in four adult survivors are racked with anxiety. The rate of severe depression is double pre-fire levels, while anxiety is up tenfold compared to earlier benchmarks, according to the study, titled From Crisis to Recovery: Health and Resilience Two Years After the Maui Wildfires.
MauiWES is one of largest post-disaster exposure studies of its kind, and an effort to understand and address the impacts on health and social conditions caused by the deadliest American wildfire in more than a century. At least 102 people died and more than 2,200 homes were destroyed on 8 August 2023 after 50mph winds supercharged a fire that ripped through the historic town of Lahaina in west Maui, leaving thousands without shelter, work, or access to adequate health and other basic services.
Two years on, more than 40% of adults still lack stable housing and 25% of those looking for work remain unemployed. The number of households unable to afford enough nutritious food – also known as food insecurity – is on the rise, with almost one in four adults regularly skipping meals or going entire days without food due to financial hardship – double the pre-fire rate.
Despite some signs of progress and healing, four times as many adults still experience suicidal thoughts compared to before the fire – pointing to deep psychological scars and a need for sustained, culturally appropriate long-term mental health care, according to the report. Failing to address the ongoing psychological trauma – and the housing, economic and food crises caused by the fire – could lead to a future surge in strokes, chronic respiratory disease and other cardiovascular problems.
Worryingly, heart and lung issues linked to fire and ash exposure have already become more pronounced.
More than 70% of 1,800 survivors in the study now have hypertension – or high blood pressure, while one in four have reduced lung function. The findings come as authorities prepare to move piles of contaminated debris from near Lahaina to central Maui, raising concern among residents about further exposure to environmental toxins.
Despite successful efforts to expand coverage, one in six participants remains uninsured, rising to 45% among Latino residents. Nearly a third report persistent issues accessing care or medications – mostly as a result of the fire, the report found.
The second tranche of UH findings come after a separate study published exclusively by the Guardian last month showed that sexual exploitation of women and domestic violence soared after the Lahaina wildfire in 2023. This work is part of a growing effort to better understand and intervene in the health and social consequences of climate-fueled disasters that are wreaking short and long term havoc across the US and globally.
In general, women and children are disproportionately impacted by disasters. With almost 200 10- to 17-year-olds now enrolled in the Maui health study, the findings provide the first comprehensive snapshot of child survivors that suggests a hidden mental health crisis which requires urgent attention.
Around 45% of the children are experiencing PTSD symptoms, with one in 10 severely impacted by the trauma they have experienced. Half meet the clinical threshold for depression, while 30% struggle with anxiety symptoms such as palpitations, nausea and difficulty breathing. Girls and children identifying as Asian, Filipino and Latino consistently carry the heaviest emotional burden, pointing to the need for culturally grounded, gender-sensitive mental health care in schools and other community jobs.
Yet amidst these pressures, Maui’s community bonds remain strong, according to the report, with 90% of participants reporting moderate or high levels of social support. This strong support – anchored in ohana (family), culture and community networks – can serve as a buffer against the long-term health consequences of disaster, but is not enough.
Investments in long-term care access, chronic disease screening and respiratory follow-up are critical to avoid deepening health disparities and to promote sustained recovery for Maui’s fire-affected communities, researchers found.
“The people of Lahaina have shown extraordinary strength in the face of unimaginable loss. The progress we’re seeing is real – and it’s a testament to the resilience of this community, but the recovery is far from over,” said Ruben Juarez, co-author and professor of economics at the UH Economic Research Organization.