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Extreme weather events have lasting impacts on risk of death and healthcare utilization

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In a difference-in-differences analysis among Medicare beneficiaries in the USA, billion-dollar weather disasters were associated with higher rates of emergency department visits and deaths in the weeks after the disaster. Observed changes were more pronounced among counties that experienced the most loss and damage compared to all affected counties.

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Fig. 1: Mortality rates for longer post-disaster time periods.

References

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Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This is a summary of: Salas, R. N. et al. Impact of extreme weather events on healthcare utilization and mortality in the United States. Nat. Med. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02833-x (2024).

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Extreme weather events have lasting impacts on risk of death and healthcare utilization. Nat Med 30, 954–955 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02868-0

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