Hurricanes pose long-term health risks for vulnerable older adults

New research in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society indicates that older adults who rely on electricity-dependent medical devices-such as ventilators, respirators, and dialysis machines-may face substantial health risks during and after hurricanes, especially in communities experiencing severe flooding.

For the study, investigators evaluated immediate and sustained effects during the year following Hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Florence (2018) on hospitalizations and deaths among Medicare beneficiaries in North Carolina aged ≥65 years who were using electricity–dependent medical equipment.

Using county-level Federal Emergency Management Agency presidential disaster declarations, the team observed no significant immediate changes following either hurricane, but sustained increases in hospitalizations and deaths over 1 year following Hurricane Matthew. Analyses based on the higher resolution North Carolina Flood Extent Archive showed stronger and more consistent associations between hurricane exposure and hospitalizations and deaths, however, and Black individuals experienced worse short- and long-term outcomes as flooding severity increased.

Over the past two years, our team has linked hurricane hazard and healthcare utilization data in North Carolina while working with impacted communities to shape this research. This work lays the foundation for studying how hurricanes and floods affect medically vulnerable populations more broadly-and for partnering with community organizations and local and state agencies to strengthen disaster preparedness and planning."

Jennifer L. Lund, PhD, senior author, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health