Individuals over Age 65 with Chronic Conditions Affected by Changes in Weather: An Early Warning System for Individuals and Healthcare Providers

Individuals over the age of 65 are particularly susceptible to extreme weather conditions. They are more likely to have chronic conditions that are affected by changes in weather and the associated effects (e.g., trapping of pollution). Studying the effect the changes in weather have on individuals over 65 could be used in the creation of an early warning system for specific health conditions. The changes in weather patterns, temperature, humidity, and winds, among others, all the potential to affect a person. Relating those weather variables to specific health conditions would help in the creation of a health early warning system for those specific conditions. For this analysis, individuals over 65 years old with specific chronic conditions are targeted. The de-identified database that was used for this analysis contains approximately 3.5 million individuals over 65 years old, across the United States. Specific weather and climate data attached to each individual. Flares of extreme weather in their area are connected with flares in the individual’s chronic condition. These connections lead to a warning system for people with the specific chronic conditions. When the conditions that would cause a flare in a chronic condition are forecasted to occur, a warning for the individuals with that chronic condition would occur with specifics about the forecast and what to potentially expect. In addition to helping patients manage those chronic conditions, these warning systems will help health care providers prepare for a potential influx of patients with the chronic conditions. Early warning systems for specific chronic conditions would be a great benefit to the patient and health care provider population.