Having experienced a major flood event might make elderly people more vulnerable to hospitalisation due to skin, nervous and musculoskeleton system diseases, according to a study that analysed over a 17-year database of insurance claims and floods in the US.
Findings published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal show that on average, hospitalisation rates remained high by three per cent for skin conditions and 2.5 per cent for nervous system problems during and following floods.
Risks of being hospitalised for conditions affecting joints and muscles, and physical injuries and poisonings remained elevated by over one per cent, said researchers, including those from Harvard University`s school of public health.
An exposure to poor sanitation and contaminated water sources could be causes for skin diseases, while delays in seeking care and injuries suffered from cleaning up after a flood could be reasons behind developing or worsening of musculoskeletal conditions, they said.
The team looked at US` national health insurance claims made by adults aged 65 and above during 2000-2016. These were compared with flood maps from the `Global Flood Database` developed using historical data.
More than 4.5 million hospitalisations for 13 disease categories over the four weeks following a flood event — 72 major ones — were analysed.
“Among adults older than 65 years, exposure to severe flood events was associated with increased hospitalisation rates for skin diseases, nervous system diseases, musculoskeletal system diseases, and injuries,” the authors wrote.
Older adults especially are at an increased risk of health impacts following exposure to a major flood event owing to weakened immune systems and a possibly limited ability to move.
The section of society may also have age-related brain disorders, such as dementia, which can further limit their capacity to cope with climate hazards, the authors said.
The team called for flood preparedness measures and adaptation strategies for the society`s vulnerable communities, which include older adults and the minorities.
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