Preparedness for natural disasters among older US adults: a nationwide survey.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine natural disaster preparedness levels among older US adults and assess factors that may adversely affect health and safety during such incidents. METHODS: We sampled adults aged 50 years or older (n = 1304) from the 2010 interview survey of the Health and Retirement Study. The survey gathered data on general demographic characteristics, disability status or functional limitations, and preparedness-related factors and behaviors. We calculated a general disaster preparedness score by using individual indicators to assess overall preparedness. RESULTS: Participant (n = 1304) mean age was 70 years (SD = 9.3). Only 34.3% reported participating in an educational program or reading materials about disaster preparation. Nearly 15% reported using electrically powered medical devices that might be at risk in a power outage. The preparedness score indicated that increasing age, physical disability, and lower educational attainment and income were independently and significantly associated with worse overall preparedness. CONCLUSIONS: Despite both greater vulnerability to disasters and continuous growth in the number of older US adults, many of the substantial problems discovered are remediable and require attention in the clinical, public health, and emergency management sectors of society.

Preparedness for natural disasters among older US adults: a nationwide survey.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine natural disaster preparedness levels among older US adults and assess factors that may adversely affect health and safety during such incidents. METHODS: We sampled adults aged 50 years or older (n = 1304) from the 2010 interview survey of the Health and Retirement Study. The survey gathered data on general demographic characteristics, disability status or functional limitations, and preparedness-related factors and behaviors. We calculated a general disaster preparedness score by using individual indicators to assess overall preparedness. RESULTS: Participant (n = 1304) mean age was 70 years (SD = 9.3). Only 34.3% reported participating in an educational program or reading materials about disaster preparation. Nearly 15% reported using electrically powered medical devices that might be at risk in a power outage. The preparedness score indicated that increasing age, physical disability, and lower educational attainment and income were independently and significantly associated with worse overall preparedness. CONCLUSIONS: Despite both greater vulnerability to disasters and continuous growth in the number of older US adults, many of the substantial problems discovered are remediable and require attention in the clinical, public health, and emergency management sectors of society.

[Preparedness for natural disasters among older US adults: a nationwide survery]. / Preparación de los adultos mayores en los Estados Unidos para hacer frente a los desastres naturales: encuesta a escala nacional.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine natural disaster preparedness levels among older US adults and assess factors that may adversely affect health and safety during such incidents. METHODS: We sampled adults aged 50 years or older (n = 1 304) from the 2010 interview survey of the Health and Retirement Study. The survey gathered data on general demographic characteristics, disability status or functional limitations, and preparedness-related factors and behaviors. We calculated a general disaster preparedness score by using individual indicators to assess overall preparedness. RESULTS: Participant (n = 1 304) mean age was 70 years (SD = 9.3). Only 34.3% reported participating in an educational program or reading materials about disaster preparation. Nearly 15% reported using electrically powered medical devices that might be at risk in a power outage. The preparedness score indicated that increasing age, physical disability, and lower educational attainment and income were independently and significantly associated with worse overall preparedness. CONCLUSIONS: Despite both greater vulnerability to disasters and continuous growth in the number of older US adults, many of the substantial problems discovered are remediable and require attention in the clinical, public health, and emergency management sectors of society.

Disability levels and correlates among older mobile home dwellers, an NHATS analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although remarkably understudied, manufactured or mobile homes are the housing choice for nearly 20 million Americans and little is known about the health of older persons living in mobile homes. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate disability levels and other health correlates among older adults living in mobile or manufactured homes compared to their counterparts living in other types of homes. METHODS: We sampled non-institutional adults aged 65 years or older (n = 7609), of whom 344 lived in mobile homes, from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). RESULTS: Respondents living in mobile homes (average age = 75.1 years; SD = 0.5) had lower education and income and medical insurance than older adults living in other types of community residence (average age = 77.5 years; SD = 0.2). They were more likely to smoke, have lung and heart disease, and report fair or poor general health status. Mobile home dwellers reported more difficulty or inability in performing the following activities of daily living when compared to their counterparts: stooping and kneeling (64.9% vs 60.8%, p = 0.007), walking 6 blocks (46.5% vs 41.5%, p = 0.001), walking 3 blocks (37.7% vs 33.5%, p = 0.002), and climbing up to 20 stairs (39.2% vs 34.8%, p = 0.02). Among those reporting disability, mobile home dwellers had fewer bathroom safety modifications. CONCLUSION: There is higher prevalence of chronic conditions, functional and cognitive impairment in older mobile home dwellers compared to older adults living in other types of housing.

Preparación de los adultos mayores en los Estados Unidos para hacer frente a los desastres naturales: encuesta a escala nacional / Preparedness for natural disasters among older US adults: a nationwide survery

OBJETIVOS: Nos propusimos determinar el grado de preparación frente a los desastres naturales de los adultos mayores en los Estados Unidos y evaluar los factores que pueden afectar negativamente la salud y la seguridad durante este tipo de incidentes. MÉTODOS: Obtuvimos una muestra de adultos de 50 años en adelante (n = 1 304) de la encuesta del 2010 del Estudio de la Salud y la Jubilación (HRS por su sigla en inglés). La encuesta recogió datos sobre las características demográficas generales, el estado de discapacidad o las limitaciones funcionales, y también sobre factores y comportamientos relacionados con la preparación frente a los desastres. Calculamos una puntuación global de preparación mediante indicadores individuales a fin de evaluar el grado de preparación general. RESULTADOS: La media de la edad de los participantes (n = 1 304) fue de 70 años (desviación estándar [DE] = 9,3). Solo 34,3% informaron que habían participado en un programa formativo o que habían leído materiales sobre la preparación para los desastres. Casi 15% indicaron que usaban dispositivos médicos eléctricos que podían correr riesgo de no funcionar si se interrumpiera el suministro eléctrico. La puntuación de preparación indicó que la edad más avanzada, la discapacidad física y el menor nivel de escolaridad y de ingresos se asociaban independiente y significativamente a un grado de preparación general inferior. CONCLUSIONES: A pesar de la mayor vulnerabilidad ante los desastres y del número cada vez mayor de adultos mayores en los Estados Unidos, muchos de los problemas sustanciales que encontramos son remediables y requieren atención en los sectores de la sociedad dedicados a la atención clínica, a la salud pública y al manejo de situaciones de emergencia.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine natural disaster preparedness levels among older US adults and assess factors that may adversely affect health and safety during such incidents. METHODS: We sampled adults aged 50 years or older (n = 1 304) from the 2010 interview survey of the Health and Retirement Study. The survey gathered data on general demographic characteristics, disability status or functional limitations, and preparedness-related factors and behaviors. We calculated a general disaster preparedness score by using individual indicators to assess overall preparedness. RESULTS: Participant (n = 1 304) mean age was 70 years (SD = 9.3). Only 34.3% reported participating in an educational program or reading materials about disaster preparation. Nearly 15% reported using electrically powered medical devices that might be at risk in a power outage. The preparedness score indicated that increasing age, physical disability, and lower educational attainment and income were independently and significantly associated with worse overall preparedness. CONCLUSIONS: Despite both greater vulnerability to disasters and continuous growth in the number of older US adults, many of the substantial problems discovered are remediable and require attention in the clinical, public health, and emergency management sectors of society.