Older adults who were exposed to heavy rainfall after Hurricane Harvey in 2017 faced a 3% increase in the risk of death within the following year, a new University of Michigan study found.
Older adults who were exposed to heavy rainfall after Hurricane Harvey in 2017 faced a 3% increase in the risk of death within the following year, a new University of Michigan study found.
“These findings add to the evidence that disasters don’t just cause short-term disruptions. They expose and magnify the underlying fragilities in our health systems,” said lead author Sue Anne Bell, U-M associate professor of nursing. “For older adults who rely on regular and consistent access to health care, even a temporary disruption to needed care can have lasting consequences.”
The study, appearing in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and funded by the National Institute on Aging, provides new evidence that severe weather events have long-term health consequences for vulnerable older adults. Identifying populations at heightened risk for disasters can inform targeted preparedness and health care interventions to reduce mortality disparities, Bell said.
Read More at: University of Michigan
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