Life Expectancy
The average life expectancy in Hawaii, which increased from 76.8 years in 1980 to 81.3 years in 2018, is the highest among all states in the United States. The average life expectancy for men is 78.04 years and 83.98 years for women.
Mortality
The reported death rates for Asian or Pacific Islander elders are lower than rates for whites, blacks, or American Indians (Minino, Heron, Murphy, & Kochankek, 2007). However, this is likely due to the aggregation of data from Asians, who tend to have longer life expectancies, with Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islander racial groups, who tend to have lower life expectancies (Braun, Yang, Onaka, & Horiuchi, 1997). Unfortunately, mortality rates for Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islander races by age group are not currently available for the overall U.S. population. However, for the state of Hawaii, Johnson et al. (Johnson, Oyama, LeMarchand, & Wilkens, 2004) found that the age-adjusted death rates for Native Hawaiians due to heart disease, cancers, stroke, accidents and diabetes were higher than those for the state of Hawaii as a whole. The authors also concluded that fewer Native Hawaiians are dying in the older age groups than expected in part because fewer Native Hawaiians reach older age categories compared to other racial groups in Hawaii.
Year 2000 Age-Adjusted Death Rates per 100,000 (State of Hawaii) |
||
|---|---|---|
| Selected Causes of Death | Total State | Native Hawaiian |
| Heart Disease | 221.9 | 221.9 |
| Cancers | 155.8 | 208.6 |
| Stroke | 60.0 | 72.0 |
| Accidents | 27.5 | 32.0 |
| Diabetes | 16.3 | 38.0 |
| Source: Johnson et al. 2004, reprinted with permission | ||
In 2000, Native Hawaiians comprised approximately 20% of the state of Hawaii’s population. In the 65-75 year age group, 20% of all deaths were attributed to Native Hawaiians. However, among the 75-84 and > 85 years and older age groups, Native Hawaiians accounted for only 13% and 7% of all deaths, respectively.
Cardiovascular disease deaths was the number one cause for death, and occurred more frequently in urban than rural areas. In a 1996 study, Melanesian Fijians were reported to have an overall mortality rate at 15.9 and 9.2/1000 person years in men and women, respectively (Collins, Dowse, Cabealawa, Ram, & Zimmet, 1996).
By comparison, the leading causes of death in the United States in 2021, included diseases of the heart (20.1%), cancer (17.5%), and stroke (4.7%). In American Samoa, Guam, and the Federated States of Micronesia, similar causes for mortality were observed (Ichiho, Gladu, Keybond, & Ruben, 2004; Ichiho, Wong, Hedson, & David, 2004; Ruidas, Adaoag, Williams, & Sesepasara, 2004; Shehata, Kroon, Skilling, & Taulung, 2004; Taoka, Hancock, Ngaden, Yow, & Durand, 2004; Tseng, Omphroy, Cruz, Naval, & Haddock, 2004). By contrast, the Republic of Palau reported cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest as the 2 leading causes of death (Wong, Taoka, Kuartei, Demei, & Soaladaob, 2004), while the leading cause of death in the Marshall Islands was sepsis (Kroon et al., 2004).
