Deaths by suicide and drug overdose significantly increased in the aftermath of the August 2023 Maui wildfire, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The study, led by Alex Ortega, dean of the Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health, and Keawe‘aimoku Kaholokula, chair of the Department of Native Hawaiian Health, in the John A. Burns School of Medicine, both at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, along with Jonathan Purtle, associate professor at New York University’s School of Global Public Health, is one of the first to show that wildfires can lead to immediate deaths from suicide and drug overdose.

About The Studies: JAMA and JAMA Network Open are publishing studies examining the health impact of wildfires in Los Angeles County in January 2025 and in Maui in August 2023. Among the findings:

The incidence of murder-suicide in the United States is higher than earlier estimates suggest, according to new research. The study reveals that while murder-suicide events remain relatively rare, they are occurring more frequently than previously documented—particularly among current or former intimate partners.

Rutgers researchers uncover the connection, which is particularly stronger when firearms are involved.

A new shared approach to suicide prevention in universities is needed – one where students, staff, families and wider communities work together to make student life safer and more supportive for all, say leaders of a new project.

Drawing on a landmark 25-year study that followed Quebec children into adulthood, McGill University researchers have identified two distinct patterns in how suicidal thoughts emerge and the early signs that are often missed.

Suicidal thoughts are increasingly common among youth, but how they begin and what mental health symptoms often precede them are poorly understood, the researchers said.