HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hundreds of families attended a special wellness festival Saturday at the University of Maui to understand the health impacts of the August 2023 wildfires.
The purpose of the UH study is to help survivors take preventive measures and manage their ongoing risks.
Of the 1,200 Maui wildfire survivors who participated in a UH exposure study six months after the disaster, about 20% had elevated levels of certain heavy metals in their bodies.
Researchers say this may be related to higher rates of participants reporting health conditions such as respiratory problems and high blood pressure.
And re-exposure to contaminated environments can make the disease worse.
That’s one of the main takeaways from the latest analysis of the University of Maui Wildfire Exposure Study.
“We are working hard to understand what that means and are informing individuals now so they can do something about it and implement best practices. “If you’re coming back into an area, even if it’s been cleaned and ready to rebuild, you’ll need personal protective equipment,” said Jubson University professor Arika Maunakea.
Researchers shared individual results in multiple languages and connected survivors to medical resources such as air purifiers.
They are also currently recruiting participants.
“We really wanted to include children as part of this study so we could see how their potential impacts on environmental exposures. “As we begin to understand, there are implications for mental health as well, which can then be seen in long-term health outcomes,” he said.
The goal is to identify potential early risk factors that may contribute to the onset of symptoms.
“We’re trying to shine a light on some of the gaps that we already knew before the fire, but this fire has further reinforced the need for integrated care for exposure-informed medicine. New concerns have arisen about how some of the health conditions can manifest in other conditions in the wider community by understanding where they come from and not just treating them. It can prevent re-exposure or re-contact to potential hazards that may occur,” he said.
The researchers are continuing to analyze the data and plan to release a full report in hopes of securing federal and state funding and support from health departments, insurance companies and other stakeholders.
To register for the study, visit MauiWES.org.
Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
