@article{ref1,
title="Disaster-related injuries in the period of recovery: the effect of prolonged displacement on risk of injury in older adults",
journal="Journal of trauma",
year="2009",
author="Uscher-Pines, Lori and Vernick, Jon S. and Curriero, Frank C. and Lieberman, Richard and Burke, Thomas A.",
volume="67",
number="4",
pages="834-840",
abstract="BACKGROUND:: Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast of the United States in August 2005, initially displaced over a million people from their primary place of residence. Displaced older adults subsequently faced challenges, such as new or inferior living conditions, which could increase vulnerability to serious or life-threatening injuries such as hip fracture. The aim of this study was to determine whether Katrina victims who were displaced for a prolonged period of time were more likely to experience injuries than nondisplaced victims. METHODS:: We tracked injury outcomes including fractures, sprains or strains, and lacerations in a cohort of 25,019 older adults (age >/= 65 years) enrolled in a Medicare-Advantage Plan, for 1 year after Katrina. We used medical claims to obtain injury outcomes and analyzed propensity-score adjusted predictors of injury, including displacement status at 12 months. RESULTS:: In our sample, 7,030 (28%) older adults were displaced at 12-month post-Katrina. Displaced victims had 1.53 (95% CI: 1.10-2.13) greater odds of sustaining a hip fracture in the year after the storm and 1.24 (95% CI: 1.07-1.44) greater odds of sustaining other fractures after adjusting for other risk factors. There was no significant association between displacement status at 12 months and sprains or strains or lacerations. CONCLUSIONS:: Prolonged displacement is associated with increased risk of fracture in older adults. Emergency planners should screen temporary housing for injury hazards, and clinicians should regard displaced older adults as a vulnerable population in need of interventions such as risk communication messaging.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0022-5282",
doi="10.1097/TA.0b013e31817f2853",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/TA.0b013e31817f2853"
}