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Pandemic-Era Shifts in Life Expectancy in Hawai'i, 2018-2022.
Yanyan Wu1, Lance Ching2, Claire Prieto3
1Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA.
Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health
|November 11, 2025
Summary
Hawai'i's life expectancy saw a decline in 2021 due to COVID-19, but early interventions and high vaccination rates helped preserve longevity. This demonstrates the effectiveness of public health strategies in mitigating pandemic impacts on population health.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Demography
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant decrease in US life expectancy.
- Understanding regional variations in life expectancy trends is crucial for public health policy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess if Hawai'i's life expectancy trends mirrored the national decline during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To analyze changes in life expectancy in Hawai'i from 2018 to 2022 for overall, male, and female populations.
Main Methods:
- Calculated life expectancy at birth using Chiang's abridged life table method.
- Utilized data from the Hawai'i State Department of Health and population estimates from the American Community Survey and 2020 Census.
Main Results:
- Hawai'i's life expectancy remained stable from 2018-2020, then dropped by 1.3 years in 2021 to 80.7, with a partial recovery to 81.2 in 2022.
- Male life expectancy decreased from 79.2 in 2018 to 77.5 in 2021, recovering to 78.2 in 2022.
- Female life expectancy declined from 85.4 in 2018 to 84.0 in 2021, with a slight rebound to 84.4 in 2022.
Conclusions:
- Hawai'i's experience suggests that prompt public health interventions and high vaccination rates can mitigate mortality and preserve life expectancy.
- Future policies should prioritize robust rapid-response systems and sustained high vaccination coverage to safeguard population health during pandemics.
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