Mental and breathing health after the Maui wildfire for kids and adults
Mental and Respiratory Health Impacts of the Maui WUI Fire in Children and Adults
This project looks at how the Maui wildfire affected breathing and mental wellbeing in children and adults who were displaced or not.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11182719 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked to join whether you are a child or adult who lived in an area affected by the August 2023 Lahaina fire or in a nearby nonaffected household. The team plans to enroll people from about 100 fire-displaced households and 100 nonaffected households and will collect information on respiratory symptoms, lung function tests, and mental health using the NIEHS RAPIDD questionnaires. Researchers are working with local, government, and community partners and may link health findings to environmental residues like ash and soil contamination. Participation may include initial visits and short-term follow-up to track symptoms and wellbeing over time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are children (0–11) and adults (21+) who lived in or were displaced from the Maui/Lahaina fire-affected area, plus nearby nonaffected household members for comparison.
Not a fit: People who did not live in or near the burn area and had no exposure to ash, residues, or displacement are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify lasting breathing and mental health needs after the Maui fire and help guide healthcare and cleanup priorities.
How similar studies have performed: Previous disaster research has linked wildfires to breathing problems and mental-health challenges, but this project applies rapid, community-based tools to the unique toxic mix from the Maui fire.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Junfeng — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Junfeng
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.