Gad, Laila, Keenan, Olivia J., Ancker, Jessica S., Unruh, Mark Aaron, Jung, Hye-Young, Demetres, Michelle R., & Ghosh, Arnab K. (2024). Impact of extreme weather events on health outcomes of nursing home residents receiving post-acute care and long-term care: A scoping review. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 25(11), Article 105230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2024.105230
This scoping review systematically examines the relationship between extreme weather events (EWEs) and adverse health outcomes in short-stay patients undergoing post-acute care (PAC) and long-stay residents in nursing homes (NHs). The review included 10 retrospective cohort studies, primarily focused on hurricanes in the Southern United States, with one study addressing flood risk in North Dakota. The studies mainly investigated the effects of hurricanes on long-stay NH residents and their associations with increased 30- and 90-day mortality rates, unplanned hospitalizations, and changes in cognitive impairment.
The findings showed a consistent association between hurricane exposure and elevated mortality risks within 30 and 90 days, especially for long-stay NH residents and those in hospice care. Short-stay PAC patients also experienced higher hospitalization rates following hurricane exposure. The review highlights the need for future research to evaluate the impact of other types of EWEs beyond hurricanes, across broader geographic areas, and with a focus on longer-term health outcomes, associated costs, and potential disparities affecting vulnerable NH populations as climate-related EWEs become more frequent and severe.
