Healio (8/22, Laboy) reported a study found that “suicide and overdose rates notably increased at the onset of the 2023 Maui wildfires in Hawaii.” The researchers “analyzed suicide or overdose-related deaths in five Hawaii counties, including Maui, from January 2014 to December 2023.”
They found that “August 2023 was independently associated with a 97% increase in suicide and overdose rates in Maui alone and a 46% increase in both rates across counties. When suicide and overdose were analyzed separately, only the suicide rates were significantly higher in Maui compared to the other counties.”
According to Healio, “the findings indicate an immediate correlation between behavioral health outcomes and wildfires, suggesting a need for tailored interventions and protocols in the wake of natural disasters, the researchers wrote.” The study was published in JAMA.
Related Links:
— “Suicide, overdose rates increased in immediate wake of Maui wildfires,” Lucas Laboy, Healio, August22 , 2025