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Health Risk Behaviors after Disaster Exposure Among Older Adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2019

Sue Anne Bell Open the ORCID record for Sue Anne Bell [Opens in a new window] ,
HwaJung Choi ,
Kenneth M. Langa  and
Theodore J. Iwashyna
Sue Anne Bell*
Affiliation:
School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MichiganUSA
HwaJung Choi
Affiliation:
University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MichiganUSA
Kenneth M. Langa
Affiliation:
University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MichiganUSA Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MichiganUSA Center for Clinical Management Research at VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MichiganUSA
Theodore J. Iwashyna
Affiliation:
University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MichiganUSA Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MichiganUSA Center for Clinical Management Research at VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MichiganUSA
*
Correspondence: Sue Anne Bell, PhD, FNP-BC, NHDP-BC Clinical Associate Professor School of Nursing, University of Michigan 400 North Ingalls Rm 2181 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 USA E-mail: sabell@umich.edu
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Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to examine the extent to which an exposure to disaster is associated with change in health behaviors.

Methods

Federal disaster declarations were matched at the county-level to self-reported behaviors for participants in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), 2000-2014. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between disaster and change in physical activity, body mass index (BMI), and cigarette smoking.

Results

The sample included 20,671 individuals and 59,450 interviews; 1,451 unique disasters were declared in counties in which HRS respondents lived during the study period. Exposure to disaster was significantly associated with weight gain (unadjusted RRR=1.19; 95% CI, 1.11-1.27; adjusted RRR=1.21; 95% CI, 1.13-1.30). Vigorous physical activity was significantly lower among those who had experienced a disaster compared to those who had not (unadjusted OR=0.89; 95% CI, 0.84-0.95; adjusted OR=0.84; 95% CI, 0.79-0.89). No significant difference in cigarette smoking was found.

Conclusions

This study found an increase in weight gain and decrease in physical activity among older adults after disaster exposure. Adverse health behaviors such as these can contribute to functional decline among older adults.

BellSA, ChoiH, LangaKM, IwashynaTJ. Health Risk Behaviors after Disaster Exposure Among Older Adults. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2019;34(1):95–97.

Keywords

agingdisasterhealth behavior
Type
Brief Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 34 , Issue 1 , February 2019 , pp. 95 - 97
Copyright
© World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2019 

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Footnotes

Conflicts of interest: none

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