The indisputable strength of the Aloha Spirit

While Hawai’i placed second overall in the Sharecare Community Well-Being Index 2022 state rankings report, residents’ efforts to recover and rebuild following devastating wildfires are heavy on our minds and hearts.

This week, Sharecare released the 2022 Community Well-Being Index state rankings, our annual report which has measured the health and well-being of America for over a decade. In collaboration with the Boston University School of Public Health, we collected nearly 500,000 surveys between 2021 and 2022 and assessed more than 600 social determinants of health across all 50 U.S. states. The data amassed over the course of the year provides a comprehensive view into Americans’ well-being across 10 interrelated domains of health. The report offers context on the relationship between our health and the environments in which we live, work, and play, while pinpointing areas for progress and improvement. As in previous years, Hawai‘i ranked high on the list, securing the No. 2 position, and leading in five out of the 10 core domains—community, social, purpose, financial, and physical. Hawai’i’s stand out achievements include:

• Nearly 70% of residents reported receiving daily health encouragement from someone in their life.
• 58.3% reported feeling active and productive every day.
• 58.2% believe they live in the perfect place for them.
• Outperforming the national average in aspects like financial security, daily learning, relationship and marital satisfaction, community engagement and recognition, and levels of weekly exercise.

While this report reflects Hawai’i’s impressive state of well-being from the previous year, it arrives at a time of deep tragedy for the Islands. This August, wildfires devastated Hawai‘i Island, Upcountry, Maui, and, most severely, Lāhainā, Maui. Having endured the deadliest fire in the U.S. in the past 100 years, Maui faces significant losses, spanning lives, homes, heritage, and more.

Over the last decade, Sharecare’s team based in Hawai’i has partnered with local organizations and community leaders through our Blue Zones Project initiative to implement well-being best practices. While we feel incredibly fortunate that our Sharecare colleagues who call Hawai’i home all are safe and accounted for, we are devastated for our friends, families, and the community of Maui. With that, we are grateful for the numerous organizations that have contributed to the recovery efforts over the last several weeks.

In the event you feel compelled to share care with the people of Maui, we wanted to draw your attention to one such local organization that is making a direct impact: the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF). A non-profit that has supported communities across the Hawaiian Islands for over 100 years and a trusted partner of Sharecare’s for the last decade, HCF is actively leading relief efforts on the ground in Maui and providing real-time recovery funds to those in need through the Maui Strong Fund.

This year’s Community Well-Being Index report, while affirming Hawai’i’s strengths, also emphasizes the importance of proactive health and well-being efforts in fostering community resilience—something we’re seeing in action as the state continues to recover from the wildfire events. And organizations like HCF are critical to maintaining the culture of well-being for which the Aloha State is known.