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A New Report Sheds Light on the Wellbeing of Native Hawaiian Youth

On which island do Hawaiian children have the most sleep and physical activity?

How many young children of Hawaiian ancestry are enrolled in preschool?

These critical questions — about the health and wellbeing of Hawaiian youth — are explored in a newly published report titled Mauli Ola Kānaka. The report offers valuable insights and data-driven analysis, developed by the Research, Evaluation, & Data Science (REDS) Team at Liliʻuokalani Trust.

The report presents a wealth of statewide data, complemented by regional breakdowns for areas where LT supports youth. These regions are: Hilo, Kona, Kauaʻi, Maui Nui (which includes Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi), Koʻolau Poko, and Waiʻanae.

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 Mauli Ola Kānaka serves three purposes: 

• The data aligns with the Trust’s “2045 Wehe Ke Ala Strategic Vision,” a long-term initiative addressing early childhood, youth development, foster care and juvenile justice involvement, and other wellbeing indicators.
• It upholds the Trust’s commitment to Native Hawaiian data sovereignty, which includes the right to collect and disseminate data.
• It empowers the Trust to continue the mission of Queen Liliʻuokalani; she allocated her resources to nurturing youth, particularly orphans and children from destitute backgrounds

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Here are Frequently Answered Questions about Mauli Ola Kānaka — and how to access the reports:  

Why did Liliʻuokalani Trust name the report Mauli Ola Kānaka?  

Mauli Ola Kānaka Hawaiʻi translates to "health and wellbeing of the people.” The name, along with others in the Trust’s Kilo Report series, was provided by Makalauna Feliciano, a Cultural Practitioner for the Trust. It reflects the Trust’s commitment to health, community, and the wellbeing of Hawaiians.

When did the Trust first start publishing Mauli Ola Kānaka?

Since 2014, the Trust has produced various iterations of the wellbeing reports. However, they were known by other names, including “Community Data Profiles,” and were only available to teammates of the Trust to assist with programs and services for Hawaiian youth.

The Trust began posting the statewide report in 2022. And in 2024, the regional reports were shared with external partners. The REDS Team believes it is both a privilege and honor to gather the data and is committed to improving findings. For example, the Team added population-level data in the 2024 reports based on feedback.

Has research discovered trends or unusual data related to the wellbeing of Hawaiian children?

Population-level data changes slowly, taking multiple years to note trends. One noteworthy finding is the steady increase in on-time high school graduation rates for Hawaiians each year. The number is steadily rising to align with the statewide average!

Another interesting finding is that historically, Native Hawaiian children have participated in preschool programs at a higher rate than the statewide population. The data in the statewide report (taken from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey) shows a multi-year decline in preschool participation among Native Hawaiian children, from 2017 to 2022. This raises concerns about their readiness to transition to formal schooling.

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Is Mauli Ola Kānaka the only report solely focused on Native Hawaiian youth wellbeing? 

No, other reports are available in the field. However, Mauli Ola Kānaka Hawaiʻi focuses on topics related to LT’s “2045 Wehe Ke Ala Strategic Vision,” and draws on data from various sources, statewide and national. Data focused on Indigenous people is rare, and more reports like Mauli Ola Kānaka Hawaiʻi are crucial and necessary.

Besides LT teammates who use the data for their work, how else can the data be used?

The data is available for anyone who delivers services, plans programs, and makes decisions to advance Native Hawaiian wellbeing.

LT shares the reports with interested partners and is a member of the Native Hawaiian Research Hui, a partnership with Kamehameha Schools, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Papa Ola Lōkahi, and The Queen’s Health Systems.

The group conducts original research and collects data on Native Hawaiian wellbeing, among other key areas. A joint project by the group is the annual ʻImi Pono Hawaiian wellbeing survey, a statewide survey of Hawai‘i residents. The ʻImi Pono survey provides unique data on spiritual and community wellbeing, as cited in the Mauli Ola Kānaka reports.

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Where to find the Mauli Ola Kānaka reports:

Please view the Mauli Ola Kānaka statewide and regional data reports on the Trust’s website at https://onipaa.org/mauli-ola-kanaka-native-hawaiian-wellbeing and while you’re there, check out other LT research reports at https://onipaa.org/research-and-evaluation.