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Matte T, Lane K, Tipaldo JF, Barnes J, Knowlton K, Torem E, Anand G, Yoon L, Marcotullio P, Balk D, Constible J, Elszasz H, Ito K, Jessel S, Limaye V, Parks R, Rutigliano M, Sorenson C, Yuan A. NPCC4: Climate change and New York City's health risk. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024. [PMID: 38922909 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
This chapter of the New York City Panel on Climate Change 4 (NPCC4) report considers climate health risks, vulnerabilities, and resilience strategies in New York City's unique urban context. It updates evidence since the last health assessment in 2015 as part of NPCC2 and addresses climate health risks and vulnerabilities that have emerged as especially salient to NYC since 2015. Climate health risks from heat and flooding are emphasized. In addition, other climate-sensitive exposures harmful to human health are considered, including outdoor and indoor air pollution, including aeroallergens; insect vectors of human illness; waterborne infectious and chemical contaminants; and compounding of climate health risks with other public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence-informed strategies for reducing future climate risks to health are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Matte
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kathryn Lane
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jenna F Tipaldo
- CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy and CUNY Institute for Demographic Research, New York, New York, USA
| | - Janice Barnes
- Climate Adaptation Partners, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kim Knowlton
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Emily Torem
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gowri Anand
- City of New York, Department of Transportation, New York, New York, USA
| | - Liv Yoon
- School of Kinesiology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Peter Marcotullio
- Department of Geography and Environmental Science, Hunter College, CUNY, New York, New York, USA
| | - Deborah Balk
- Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, Baruch College and also CUNY Institute for Demographic Research, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Hayley Elszasz
- City of New York, Mayors Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kazuhiko Ito
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sonal Jessel
- WE ACT for Environmental Justice, New York, New York, USA
| | - Vijay Limaye
- Natural Resources Defense Council, New York, New York, USA
| | - Robbie Parks
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mallory Rutigliano
- New York City Mayor's Office of Management and Budget, New York, New York, USA
| | - Cecilia Sorenson
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ariel Yuan
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, New York, USA
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Gunda T, Wachtel A, Khadka Mishra S, Moog E. Quantitative approaches for including equity in risk and resilience infrastructure planning analyses. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2023. [PMID: 37772629 DOI: 10.1111/risa.14230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Risk and resilience assessments for critical infrastructure focus on myriad objectives, from natural hazard evaluations to optimizing investments. Although research has started to characterize externalities associated with current or possible future states, incorporation of equity priorities at project inception is increasingly being recognized as critical for planning related activities. However, there is no standard methodology that guides development of equity-informed quantitative approaches for infrastructure planning activities. To address this gap, we introduce a logic model that can be tailored to capture nuances about specific geographies and community priorities, effectively incorporating them into different mathematical approaches for quantitative risk assessments. Specifically, the logic model uses a graded, iterative approach to clarify specific equity objectives as well as inform the development of equations being used to support analysis. We demonstrate the utility of this framework using case studies spanning aviation fuel, produced water, and microgrid electricity infrastructures. For each case study, the use of the logic model helps clarify the ways that local priorities and infrastructure needs are used to drive the types of data and quantitative methodologies used in the respective analyses. The explicit consideration of methodological limitations (e.g., data mismatches) and stakeholder engagements serves to increase the transparency of the associated findings as well as effectively integrate community nuances (e.g., ownership of assets) into infrastructure assessments. Such integration will become increasingly important to ensure that planning activities (which occur throughout the lifecycle of the infrastructure projects) lead to long-lasting solutions to meet both energy and sustainable development goals for communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thushara Gunda
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Amanda Wachtel
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | | | - Emily Moog
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Dialysis Care for US Military Veterans in Puerto Rico during the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2022; 17:e187. [PMID: 35514312 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2022.63] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Patients with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) are at higher risk for increased mortality and morbidity due to disaster-related disruptions to care. We examine effects of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on access to dialysis care for US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) ESKD patients in Puerto Rico. METHODS A retrospective, longitudinal cohort study was conducted among VA patients with at least 1 dialysis-related encounter between September 6, 2016, and September 5, 2018. The annual number of dialysis encounters, visits to an emergency department (ED), and the number of deaths pre- and post-hurricanes were compared. A random effects logistic regression model for correlated binary outcomes was fitted for predictors of mortality. Chi-square tests were for differences between pre- and post-hurricane visits. RESULTS The number of ED visits increased in post-hurricane period (1172 [5.7%] to 1195 [6.6%]; P < 0.001). ESKD-related ED visits increased from 200 (0.9%) to 227 (1.3%) (P < 0.05). Increase in mortality was associated with age (OR = 1.66; CI: 1.23-2.17), heart failure (OR = 2.07; CI: 1.26-3.40), chronic pulmonary disease (OR = 3.26; CI: 1.28-8.28), and sepsis (OR = 3.16; CI: 1.89-5.29). CONCLUSIONS There was an increase in dialysis services at the San Juan VA Medical Center post-Irma/Maria, and access to dialysis care at the non-VA clinics was limited. The role of VA dialysis centers in providing care during disasters warrants further investigation.
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Avilés Mendoza GJ, Finne KP, Torre Leon F, Burke LM, Cabrera-Marquez J, Mercado Casillas AM, Malave G, Brown C, Kelman J, Kopp JB. Observations from the emergency management of dialysis patients evacuated from the US Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico following hurricane Irma. BMC Health Serv Res 2021; 21:1239. [PMID: 34784905 PMCID: PMC8593631 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-021-07194-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Two category 5 hurricanes, Irma and Maria, arrived in the Caribbean in September 2017 in rapid succession. On September 6, Irma devastated the islands of St. Thomas and St. John, in the Virgin Islands of the United States (USVI). Most medical infrastructure was damaged, including hemodialysis facilities, paralyzing dialysis operations. After Irma’s landfall, Puerto Rico served as a safehaven for thousands of displaced and repatriated persons from the impacted islands. These included a cohort of 129 hemodialysis patients evacuated from St. Thomas, USVI to San Juan, Puerto Rico from September 9−11, 2017. The hemodialysis patients arrived first at hotels in San Juan and were then transferred to a Special Needs Shelter, run by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and located in the Puerto Rico Convention Center. With the imminent arrival of Hurricane Maria, most patients were evacuated on September 19 to a special needs shelter on the campus of the Florida International University, in Miami, Florida. While in San Juan, hemodialysis treatments were provided by local nephrologists working with local hemodialysis centers. Here, we describe the challenges and the emergency management actions taken to ensure continuity of care, including providing dialysis, general medical care, shelter, food and transportation for USVI dialysis patients during their stay in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We describe here the experiences of federal and host state/territorial officials in the special needs shelter, in the context of the state/territorial and federal response to disasters, in order to provide ideas about challenges, solutions, and approaches to coordinating care for dialysis patients evacuated from a disaster.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristen P Finne
- Department of Health and Human Services, 200 C Street SW, Washington, DC, 20515, USA.
| | - Francisco Torre Leon
- Atlantis Health Care Group, CARR, 199 Avenue Las Cumbres, #140, Guaynabo Medical Mall, Bldg STE 107, Guaynabo, PR, 00969, USA
| | - Lisandro Montalvo Burke
- Medical Advisory Board, Fresenius Kidney Care, FMC San Juan Dialysis Center, 461 Calle Francia STE, A-101, Antillas Warehouse, San Juan, PR, 00917, USA
| | - Jessica Cabrera-Marquez
- Office of Biosecurity, Puerto Rico Department of Health, 199 Ave Las Cumbres, #140, Guaynabo, Medical Mall Building Suite 107, Guaynabo, PR, 00969, USA
| | - Ana M Mercado Casillas
- Office of Biosecurity, Puerto Rico Department of Health, 199 Ave Las Cumbres, #140, Guaynabo, Medical Mall Building Suite 107, Guaynabo, PR, 00969, USA
| | - Grasiela Malave
- Office of Biosecurity, Puerto Rico Department of Health, 199 Ave Las Cumbres, #140, Guaynabo, Medical Mall Building Suite 107, Guaynabo, PR, 00969, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey Kelman
- Center for Medicare, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jeffrey B Kopp
- Department of Health and Human Services, Kidney Diseases Branch, National Institute Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-1268, USA.
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Weinberger KR, Kulick ER, Boehme AK, Sun S, Dominici F, Wellenius GA. Association Between Hurricane Sandy and Emergency Department Visits in New York City by Age and Cause. Am J Epidemiol 2021; 190:2138-2147. [PMID: 33910231 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwab127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The magnitude, timing, and etiology of morbidity associated with tropical cyclones remains incompletely quantified. We examined the relative change in cause-specific emergency department (ED) visits among residents of New York City during and after Hurricane Sandy, a tropical cyclone that affected the northeastern United States in October 2012. We used quasi-Poisson constrained distributed lag models to compare the number of ED visits on and after Hurricane Sandy with all other days, 2005-2014, adjusting for temporal trends. Among residents aged ≥65 years, Hurricane Sandy was associated with a higher rate of ED visits due to injuries and poisoning (relative risk (RR) = 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10, 1.28), respiratory disease (RR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.49), cardiovascular disease (RR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.19), renal disease (RR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.22, 1.72), and skin and soft tissue infections (RR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.39) in the first week following the storm. Among adults aged 18-64 years, Hurricane Sandy was associated with a higher rate of ED visits for renal disease (RR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.79, 2.59). Among those aged 0-17 years, the storm was associated with lower rates of ED visits for up to 3 weeks. These results suggest that tropical cyclones might result in increased health-care utilization due to a wide range of causes, particularly among older adults.
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Weinberger KR, Kulick ER, Boehme AK, Sun S, Dominici F, Wellenius GA. Association Between Hurricane Sandy and Emergency Department Visits in New York City by Age and Cause. Am J Epidemiol 2021. [PMID: 33910231 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwab127/6257048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The magnitude, timing, and etiology of morbidity associated with tropical cyclones remains incompletely quantified. We examined the relative change in cause-specific emergency department (ED) visits among residents of New York City during and after Hurricane Sandy, a tropical cyclone that affected the northeastern United States in October 2012. We used quasi-Poisson constrained distributed lag models to compare the number of ED visits on and after Hurricane Sandy with all other days, 2005-2014, adjusting for temporal trends. Among residents aged ≥65 years, Hurricane Sandy was associated with a higher rate of ED visits due to injuries and poisoning (relative risk (RR) = 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10, 1.28), respiratory disease (RR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.49), cardiovascular disease (RR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.19), renal disease (RR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.22, 1.72), and skin and soft tissue infections (RR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.39) in the first week following the storm. Among adults aged 18-64 years, Hurricane Sandy was associated with a higher rate of ED visits for renal disease (RR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.79, 2.59). Among those aged 0-17 years, the storm was associated with lower rates of ED visits for up to 3 weeks. These results suggest that tropical cyclones might result in increased health-care utilization due to a wide range of causes, particularly among older adults.
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Hemodialysis Clinics in Flood Zones: A Case Study of Hurricane Harvey. Prehosp Disaster Med 2021; 36:135-140. [PMID: 33517947 DOI: 10.1017/s1049023x21000042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hurricane Harvey (2017) forced the closure of hemodialysis centers across Harris County, Texas (USA) disrupting the provision of dialysis services. This study aims to estimate the percentage of hemodialysis clinics flooded after Harvey, to identify the proportion of such clinics located in high-risk flood zones, and to assess the sensitivity of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for estimation of flood risk. METHODS Data on 124 hemodialysis clinics in Harris County were extracted from Medicare.gov and geocoded using ArcGIS Online. The FIRMs were overlaid to identify the flood zone designation of each hemodialysis clinic. RESULTS Twenty-one percent (26 of 124) of hemodialysis clinics in Harris County flooded after Harvey. Of the flooded clinics, 57.7% were in a high-risk flood zone, 30.8% were within 1km of a high-risk flood zone, and 11.5% were not in or near a high-risk flood zone. The FIRMs had a sensitivity of 58%, misidentifying 42% (11 of 26) of the clinics flooded. CONCLUSION Hurricanes are associated with severe disruptions of medical services, including hemodialysis. With one-quarter of Harris County in the 100-year floodplain, projected increases in the frequency and severity of disasters, and inadequate updates of flood zone designation maps, the implementation of new regulations that address the development of hemodialysis facilities in high-risk flood areas should be considered.
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Lukowsky LR, Dobalian A, Goldfarb DS, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Der-Martirosian C. Access to Care for VA Dialysis Patients During Superstorm Sandy. J Prim Care Community Health 2020; 10:2150132719863599. [PMID: 31347445 PMCID: PMC6661787 DOI: 10.1177/2150132719863599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: This study examines the use of dialysis services by end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients following the Superstorm Sandy-related, months-long closure of the New York campus of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) New York Harbor VA Healthcare System (NYHHS, Manhattan VAMC). Methods: Outpatient visits, dialysis care, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations at VA and non-VA facilities for 47 Manhattan VAMC ESRD patients were examined 12 months pre- and post-Sandy using VA administrative and clinical data. Results: The Brooklyn campus of NYHHS, which is within ten miles of Manhattan VAMC, experienced the largest increase in the number of dialysis encounters after the closure. Dialysis encounters for VA patients also increased at non-VA facilities, rising on average, to 106 per month. For the James J Peters Bronx VAMC, the number of total dialysis encounters for Manhattan VAMC patients fluctuated between 39 and 43 per month, dropping to less than 30 after the Manhattan VAMC dialysis unit reopened. Conclusion: Manhattan VAMC ESRD patients used nearby alternate VA sites and non-VA clinics for their care during the closure of the Manhattan VAMC dialysis unit. The VA electronic health records played an important role in ensuring continuity of care for patients who exclusively used VAMC facilities post-Sandy because patient information was immediately accessible at other VA facilities. The events related to Superstorm Sandy highlight the need for dialysis providers to have a comprehensive disaster plan, including nearby alternate care sites that can increase service capacity when a dialysis facility is closed because of a disaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilia R Lukowsky
- 1 Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center (VEMEC), US Department of Veterans Affairs, North Hills, CA, USA
| | - Aram Dobalian
- 1 Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center (VEMEC), US Department of Veterans Affairs, North Hills, CA, USA.,2 University of Memphis School of Public Health, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - David S Goldfarb
- 3 New York Harbor VA Healthcare System (NYHHS), New York, NY, USA.,4 NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Claudia Der-Martirosian
- 1 Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center (VEMEC), US Department of Veterans Affairs, North Hills, CA, USA
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Zhang W, Kinney PL, Rich DQ, Sheridan SC, Romeiko XX, Dong G, Stern EK, Du Z, Xiao J, Lawrence WR, Lin Z, Hao Y, Lin S. How community vulnerability factors jointly affect multiple health outcomes after catastrophic storms. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 134:105285. [PMID: 31726368 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While previous studies uncovered individual vulnerabilities to health risks during catastrophic storms, few evaluated the population vulnerability which is more important for identifying areas in greatest need of intervention. OBJECTIVES We assessed the association between community factors and multiple health outcomes, and developed a community vulnerability index. METHODS We retained emergency department visits for several health conditions from the 2005-2014 New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System. We developed distributed lag nonlinear models at each spatial cluster across eight counties in downstate New York to evaluate the health risk associated with Superstorm Sandy (10/28/2012-11/9/2012) compared to the same period in other years, then defined census tracts in clusters with an elevated risk as "risk-elevated communities", and all others as "unelevated". We used machine-learning techniques to regress the risk elevation status against community factors to determine the contribution of each factor on population vulnerability, and developed a community vulnerability index (CVI). RESULTS Overall, community factors had positive contributions to increased community vulnerabilities to Sandy-related substance abuse (91.35%), injuries (70.51%), cardiovascular diseases (8.01%), and mental disorders (2.71%) but reversely contributed to respiratory diseases (-34.73%). The contribution of low per capita income (max: 22.08%), the percentage of residents living in group quarters (max: 31.39%), the percentage of areas prone to flooding (max: 38.45%), and the percentage of green coverage (max: 29.73%) tended to be larger than other factors. The CVI based on these factors achieved an accuracy of 0.73-0.90 across outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggested that substance abuse was the most sensitive disease susceptible to less optimal community indicators, whereas respiratory diseases were higher in communities with better social environment. The percentage of residents in group quarters and areas prone to flooding were among dominant predictors for community vulnerabilities. The CVI based on these factors has an appropriate predictive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wangjian Zhang
- Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Patrick L Kinney
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, MA, USA
| | - David Q Rich
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | | | - Xiaobo Xue Romeiko
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Guanghui Dong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Eric K Stern
- College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cyber-Security, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Zhicheng Du
- Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianpeng Xiao
- Department of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wayne R Lawrence
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Ziqiang Lin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA; Department of Mathematics, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Yuantao Hao
- Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Shao Lin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA.
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Abstract
Disasters occur regularly, and frequently large numbers of patients treated with maintenance dialysis or with the recent onset of acute kidney injury are put at risk owing to the lack of access to dialysis care precipitating also a kidney failure disaster. The absence of necessary dialysis treatments can result in excessive emergency department visits, hospitalizations, morbidity, or an early death. Those with kidney failure are often evaluated in disaster medical locations or hospitals without nephrologists in attendance. Here we offer guidance for medical personnel evaluating such patients so that dialysis-dependent individuals can be properly assessed and managed with the need for urgent dialysis recognized. A disaster dialysis triage system is proposed. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:782-790).
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Kishore N, Marqués D, Mahmud A, Kiang MV, Rodriguez I, Fuller A, Ebner P, Sorensen C, Racy F, Lemery J, Maas L, Leaning J, Irizarry RA, Balsari S, Buckee CO. Mortality in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. N Engl J Med 2018; 379:162-170. [PMID: 29809109 DOI: 10.1056/nejmsa1803972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Quantifying the effect of natural disasters on society is critical for recovery of public health services and infrastructure. The death toll can be difficult to assess in the aftermath of a major disaster. In September 2017, Hurricane Maria caused massive infrastructural damage to Puerto Rico, but its effect on mortality remains contentious. The official death count is 64. METHODS Using a representative, stratified sample, we surveyed 3299 randomly chosen households across Puerto Rico to produce an independent estimate of all-cause mortality after the hurricane. Respondents were asked about displacement, infrastructure loss, and causes of death. We calculated excess deaths by comparing our estimated post-hurricane mortality rate with official rates for the same period in 2016. RESULTS From the survey data, we estimated a mortality rate of 14.3 deaths (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.8 to 18.9) per 1000 persons from September 20 through December 31, 2017. This rate yielded a total of 4645 excess deaths during this period (95% CI, 793 to 8498), equivalent to a 62% increase in the mortality rate as compared with the same period in 2016. However, this number is likely to be an underestimate because of survivor bias. The mortality rate remained high through the end of December 2017, and one third of the deaths were attributed to delayed or interrupted health care. Hurricane-related migration was substantial. CONCLUSIONS This household-based survey suggests that the number of excess deaths related to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico is more than 70 times the official estimate. (Funded by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and others.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishant Kishore
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Domingo Marqués
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Ayesha Mahmud
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Mathew V Kiang
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Irmary Rodriguez
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Arlan Fuller
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Peggy Ebner
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Cecilia Sorensen
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Fabio Racy
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Jay Lemery
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Leslie Maas
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Jennifer Leaning
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Rafael A Irizarry
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Satchit Balsari
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
| | - Caroline O Buckee
- From the Departments of Epidemiology (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.V.K.), and Biostatistics (R.A.I.) and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics (N.K., A.M., C.O.B.) and the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights (A.F., J. Leaning, S.B.), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, the Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (F.R., S.B.), and the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (R.A.I.) - all in Boston; the Department of Psychology, Carlos Albizu University (D.M., I.R.), and the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (L.M.) - both in San Juan; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (P.E.); and the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine at the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora (C.S., J. Lemery)
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Ruskin J, Rasul R, Schneider S, Bevilacqua K, Taioli E, Schwartz RM. Lack of access to medical care during Hurricane Sandy and mental health symptoms. Prev Med Rep 2018; 10:363-369. [PMID: 29868393 PMCID: PMC5984240 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Destruction caused by natural disasters compromises medical providers' and hospitals' abilities to administer care. Hurricane Sandy was particularly devastating, resulting in massive disruptions of medical care in the region. This study aimed to determine whether a lack of access to medical care during Hurricane Sandy was associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and other mental health/substance abuse outcomes. A secondary aim was to examine whether having a chronic illness moderates those associations. Self-reported medical access and mental health symptomatology were obtained from New York City and Long Island residents (n = 1669) following Hurricane Sandy under the Leaders in Gathering Hope Together project (10/23/2013–2/25/2015) and Project Restoration (6/5/2014–8/9/2016). Multivariable logistic regressions were utilized to determine the relationship between lack of access to medical care and mental health outcomes. Of the 1669 participants, 994 (59.57%) were female, 866 (51.89%) were white, and the mean age was 46.22 (SD = 19.2) years old. Those without access to medical care had significantly higher odds of showing symptoms of PTSD (AOR = 2.71, CI = [1.77–4.16]), as well as depression (AOR = 1.94, CI = [1.29–2.92]) and anxiety (AOR = 1.61, CI = [1.08–2.39]) compared to those with access. Lack of access to care was associated with a 2.12 point increase in perceived stress scale score (SE = 0.63). The interaction between having a chronic illness and lack of access to medical care was not significantly associated with any outcomes. The findings emphasize the importance of making medical care more accessible to patients, both chronically and acutely ill, during natural disasters to benefit their physical as well as their mental health. Individuals without access to medical care had asignificantly higher odds of showing symptoms of mental health difficulties. Chronic illness did not moderate the relationship between a lack of access to care and mental health outcomes. Access to medical care during natural disasters may benefit the mental health of survivors with and without chronic illness.</span>
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ruskin
- Department of Occupational Medicine Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, Great Neck, NY, United States
- Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States
- Joint Center for Trauma, Disaster Health and Resilience at Mount Sinai, Stony Brook University, and Northwell Health, United States
| | - Rehana Rasul
- Department of Occupational Medicine Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, Great Neck, NY, United States
- Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States
- Joint Center for Trauma, Disaster Health and Resilience at Mount Sinai, Stony Brook University, and Northwell Health, United States
- Biostatistics Unit, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
- Department of Occupational Medicine Epidemiology and Prevention, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Samantha Schneider
- Department of Occupational Medicine Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, Great Neck, NY, United States
- Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States
- Joint Center for Trauma, Disaster Health and Resilience at Mount Sinai, Stony Brook University, and Northwell Health, United States
| | - Kristin Bevilacqua
- Department of Occupational Medicine Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, Great Neck, NY, United States
- Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States
- Joint Center for Trauma, Disaster Health and Resilience at Mount Sinai, Stony Brook University, and Northwell Health, United States
| | - Emanuela Taioli
- Joint Center for Trauma, Disaster Health and Resilience at Mount Sinai, Stony Brook University, and Northwell Health, United States
- Department of Population Health Science and Policy and Institute of Translational Epidemiology, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Rebecca M. Schwartz
- Department of Occupational Medicine Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, Great Neck, NY, United States
- Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States
- Joint Center for Trauma, Disaster Health and Resilience at Mount Sinai, Stony Brook University, and Northwell Health, United States
- Biostatistics Unit, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
- Department of Occupational Medicine Epidemiology and Prevention, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, United States
- Department of Population Health Science and Policy and Institute of Translational Epidemiology, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Corresponding author at: Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention (OMEP), Northwell Health Physician Partners, Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, 175 Community Drive 2nd floor, Great Neck, NY 11021, United States.
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Geographic Distribution of Disaster-Specific Emergency Department Use After Hurricane Sandy in New York City. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2016; 10:351-61. [PMID: 26857616 PMCID: PMC7112993 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2015.190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Objective We aimed to characterize the geographic distribution of post-Hurricane Sandy emergency department use in administrative flood evacuation zones of New York City. Methods Using emergency claims data, we identified significant deviations in emergency department use after Hurricane Sandy. Using time-series analysis, we analyzed the frequency of visits for specific conditions and comorbidities to identify medically vulnerable populations who developed acute postdisaster medical needs. Results We found statistically significant decreases in overall post-Sandy emergency department use in New York City but increased utilization in the most vulnerable evacuation zone. In addition to dialysis- and ventilator-dependent patients, we identified that patients who were elderly or homeless or who had diabetes, dementia, cardiac conditions, limitations in mobility, or drug dependence were more likely to visit emergency departments after Hurricane Sandy. Furthermore, patients were more likely to develop drug-resistant infections, require isolation, and present for hypothermia, environmental exposures, or administrative reasons. Conclusions Our study identified high-risk populations who developed acute medical and social needs in specific geographic areas after Hurricane Sandy. Our findings can inform coherent and targeted responses to disasters. Early identification of medically vulnerable populations can help to map “hot spots” requiring additional medical and social attention and prioritize resources for areas most impacted by disasters. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:351–361)
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Lee DC, Gupta VK, Carr BG, Malik S, Ferguson B, Wall SP, Smith SW, Goldfrank LR. Acute post-disaster medical needs of patients with diabetes: emergency department use in New York City by diabetic adults after Hurricane Sandy. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care 2016; 4:e000248. [PMID: 27547418 PMCID: PMC4964212 DOI: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2016-000248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2016] [Revised: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the acute impact of disasters on diabetic patients, we performed a geospatial analysis of emergency department (ED) use by New York City diabetic adults in the week after Hurricane Sandy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Using an all-payer claims database, we retrospectively analyzed the demographics, insurance status, and medical comorbidities of post-disaster ED patients with diabetes who lived in the most geographically vulnerable areas. We compared the patterns of ED use among diabetic adults in the first week after Hurricane Sandy's landfall to utilization before the disaster in 2012. RESULTS In the highest level evacuation zone in New York City, postdisaster increases in ED visits for a primary or secondary diagnosis of diabetes were attributable to a significantly higher proportion of Medicare patients. Emergency visits for a primary diagnosis of diabetes had an increased frequency of certain comorbidities, including hypertension, recent procedure, and chronic skin ulcers. Patients with a history of diabetes visited EDs in increased numbers after Hurricane Sandy for a primary diagnosis of myocardial infarction, prescription refills, drug dependence, dialysis, among other conditions. CONCLUSIONS We found that diabetic adults aged 65 years and older are especially at risk for requiring postdisaster emergency care compared to other vulnerable populations. Our findings also suggest that there is a need to support diabetic adults particularly in the week after a disaster by ensuring access to medications, aftercare for patients who had a recent procedure, and optimize their cardiovascular health to reduce the risk of heart attacks.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Lee
- Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Vibha K Gupta
- Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Brendan G Carr
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Health & Human Services, Emergency Care Coordination Center, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness & Response, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Sidrah Malik
- Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Brandy Ferguson
- Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Stephen P Wall
- Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Silas W Smith
- Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lewis R Goldfrank
- Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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Murakami N, Siktel HB, Lucido D, Winchester JF, Harbord NB. Disaster Preparedness and Awareness of Patients on Hemodialysis after Hurricane Sandy. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2015; 10:1389-96. [PMID: 26220814 PMCID: PMC4527030 DOI: 10.2215/cjn.10181014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Accepted: 04/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Patients with ESRD on dialysis live in a complex sociomedical situation and are dependent on technology and infrastructure, such as transportation, electricity, and water, to sustain their lives. Interruptions of this infrastructure by natural disasters can result in devastating outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Between November of 2013 and April of 2014, a cross-sectional survey was conducted of patients who received maintenance hemodialysis before and after the landfall of Hurricane Sandy on October 29, 2012 in lower Manhattan, New York. The primary outcome was the number of missed dialysis sessions after the storm. Dialysis-specific and general disaster preparedness were assessed using checklists prepared by the National Kidney Foundation and US Homeland Security, respectively. RESULTS In total, 598 patients were approached, and 357 (59.7%) patients completed the survey. Participants were 60.2% men and 30.0% black, with a median age of 60 years old; 94 (26.3%) participants missed dialysis (median of two sessions [quartile 1 to quartile 3 =1-3]), and 236 (66.1%) participants received dialysis at nonregular dialysis unit(s): 209 (58.5%) at affiliated dialysis unit(s) and 27 (7.6%) at emergency rooms. The percentages of participants who carried their insurance information and detailed medication list were 75.9% and 44.3%, respectively. Enhancement of the dialysis emergency packet after the hurricane was associated with a significantly higher cache of medical records at home at follow-up survey (P<0.001, Fisher's exact test). Multivariate Poisson regression analysis showed that dialysis-specific preparedness (incidence rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.87 to 0.98), other racial ethnicity (incidence rate ratio, 0.34; 95% confidence interval, 0.20 to 0.57), dialysis treatment in affiliated units (incidence rate ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.51 to 0.94), and older age (incidence rate ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.97 to 0.99) were associated with a significantly lower incidence rate ratio of missed dialysis. CONCLUSIONS There is still room to improve the preparedness for natural disasters of patients with ESRD. Provider- or facility-oriented enhancement of awareness of the disease and preparedness should be a priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoka Murakami
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine and
| | - Hira Babu Siktel
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine and
| | - David Lucido
- Office of Graduate Medical Education, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, New York
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Davis
- Kidney Disease Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jeffrey B Kopp
- Kidney Disease Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Lurie N, Finne K, Worrall C, Jauregui M, Thaweethai T, Margolis G, Kelman J. Early Dialysis and Adverse Outcomes After Hurricane Sandy. Am J Kidney Dis 2015; 66:507-12. [PMID: 26120039 DOI: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2015.04.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hemodialysis patients have historically experienced diminished access to care and increased adverse outcomes after natural disasters. Although "early dialysis" in advance of a storm is promoted as a best practice, evidence for its effectiveness as a protective measure is lacking. Building on prior work, we examined the relationship between the receipt of dialysis ahead of schedule before the storm (also known as early dialysis) and adverse outcomes of patients with end-stage renal disease in the areas most affected by Hurricane Sandy. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort analysis, using claims data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Datalink Project. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS Patients receiving long-term hemodialysis in New York City and the state of New Jersey, the areas most affected by Hurricane Sandy. FACTOR Receipt of early dialysis compared to their usual treatment pattern in the week prior to the storm. OUTCOMES Emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and 30-day mortality following the storm. RESULTS Of 13,836 study patients, 8,256 (60%) received early dialysis. In unadjusted logistic regression models, patients who received early dialysis were found to have lower odds of ED visits (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.63-0.89; P=0.001) and hospitalizations (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.65-0.92; P=0.004) in the week of the storm and similar odds of 30-day mortality (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.58-1.09; P=0.2). In adjusted multivariable logistic regression models, receipt of early dialysis was associated with lower odds of ED visits (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67-0.96; P=0.01) and hospitalizations (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.66-0.94; P=0.01) in the week of the storm and 30-day mortality (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.52-0.997; P=0.048). LIMITATIONS Inability to determine which patients were offered early dialysis and declined and whether important unmeasured patient characteristics are associated with receipt of early dialysis. CONCLUSIONS Patients who received early dialysis had significantly lower odds of having an ED visit and hospitalization in the week of the storm and of dying within 30 days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Lurie
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.
| | - Kristen Finne
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
| | - Chris Worrall
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
| | | | | | - Gregg Margolis
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
| | - Jeffrey Kelman
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
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Kelman J, Finne K, Bogdanov A, Worrall C, Margolis G, Rising K, MaCurdy TE, Lurie N. Dialysis care and death following Hurricane Sandy. Am J Kidney Dis 2014; 65:109-15. [PMID: 25156306 DOI: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2014.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hurricane Sandy affected access to critical health care infrastructure. Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) historically have experienced problems accessing care and adverse outcomes during disasters. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study with 2 comparison groups. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS Using Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services claims data, we assessed the frequency of early dialysis, emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and 30-day mortality for patients with ESRD in Sandy-affected areas (study group) and 2 comparison groups: (1) patients with ESRD living in states unaffected by Sandy during the same period and (2) patients with ESRD living in the Sandy-affected region a year prior to the hurricane (October 1, 2011, through October 30, 2011). FACTOR Regional variation in dialysis care patterns and mortality for patients with ESRD in New York City and the State of New Jersey. MEASUREMENTS Frequency of early dialysis, ED visits, hospitalizations, and 30-day mortality. RESULTS Of 13,264 study patients, 59% received early dialysis in 70% of the New York City and New Jersey dialysis facilities. The ED visit rate was 4.1% for the study group compared with 2.6% and 1.7%, respectively, for comparison groups 1 and 2 (both P<0.001). The hospitalization rate for the study group also was significantly higher than that in either comparison group (4.5% vs 3.2% and 3.8%, respectively; P<0.001 and P<0.003). 23% of study group patients who visited the ED received dialysis in the ED compared with 9.3% and 6.3% in comparison groups 1 and 2, respectively (both P<0.001). The 30-day mortality rate for the study group was slightly higher than that for either comparison group (1.83% vs 1.47% and 1.60%, respectively; P<0.001 and P=0.1). LIMITATIONS Lack of facility level damage and disaster-induced power outage severity data. CONCLUSIONS Nearly half the study group patients received early dialysis prior to Sandy's landfall. Poststorm increases in ED visits, hospitalizations, and 30-day mortality were found in the study group, but not in the comparison groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Kelman
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
| | - Kristen Finne
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
| | | | - Chris Worrall
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
| | - Gregg Margolis
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
| | - Kristin Rising
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Nicole Lurie
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.
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