Climate Disasters & Healthcare Access
- Severe climate events, including heatwaves, floods, droughts and wildfires, can trigger a decline in access to health care, according to research from Drexel University and the University of...
- Researchers analyzed 6,263 climate disasters using the Spatial Hazards and Events Losses database, categorizing each event's impact as minor, moderate, or major based on deaths and property damage.
- The study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, adjusted for factors like population and poverty.
Climate disasters are directly impacting access to health care, a critical issue highlighted by new research. The study reveals a notable connection between severe climate events—including heatwaves, floods, and wildfires—and the decline of healthcare infrastructure. Outpatient care practices are especially vulnerable, leading to lasting effects on communities.Moreover, poverty and racial segregation exacerbate the problem, creating disparities in healthcare access following major disasters. Increased investment in public health infrastructure and disaster planning is crucial. This information, from a Drexel University and University of Maryland study, underscores the need for proactive measures. News Directory 3 provides more insights, and the world Economic Forum forecasts further economic and health impacts by 2050. This data point supports investments in public health. Discover what’s next in solutions and future research.
Climate Disasters Impact Long-term Health Care Access, Study Finds
Updated june 17, 2025
Severe climate events, including heatwaves, floods, droughts and wildfires, can trigger a decline in access to health care, according to research from Drexel University and the University of Maryland. The study, which examined data from 3,108 counties across the U.S. between 2000 and 2014, revealed a statistically important connection between major climate disasters and the loss of health care infrastructure.
Researchers analyzed 6,263 climate disasters using the Spatial Hazards and Events Losses database, categorizing each event’s impact as minor, moderate, or major based on deaths and property damage. They then compared this data with details on health care facilities from the National Establishment Time Series database.
The study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, adjusted for factors like population and poverty. The results showed a strong link between severe climate events and the closure of outpatient care practices.Unlike previous studies focusing on single events like Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, this research captured climate-related disasters nationwide.
Yvonne Michael, a professor of epidemiology at Drexel’s Dornsife School of Public Health and senior author of the study, emphasized the lasting impact. “Communities experiencing severe disasters often face declines in health care resources, with the effects lasting for years,” Michael said. “This underscores the potential long-term effects of disasters on human health,beyond thier immediate,acute impacts.”
A 2024 World Economic Forum report estimates that by 2050,climate change could cause 14.5 million deaths and $12.5 trillion in economic costs globally, including $1.1 trillion for health care systems.
Kevin Chang, lead author and former Drexel medical student, advocated for increased investment. “Our study offers another key data point to support investment in public health infrastructure,as well as disaster planning and recovery efforts,” chang said.”Without these investments, more patients will experience an interruption in care and worse health post-disaster.”
The study found no correlation between pharmacy closures and climate disasters,possibly due to the prevalence of “pharmacy deserts” and the rise of online pharmacies.The research did not examine other medical facilities like community health centers or long-term care practices.
Researchers also observed that counties losing health care facilities frequently enough had higher poverty rates and greater racial segregation. Conversely, counties maintaining or gaining facilities after disasters had lower poverty levels.
“More affluent communities often have better connections, such as political influence, that help them maintain these crucial health institutions following a period of crisis,” Michael said. “These collaborations after a natural disaster are especially critical in low-income communities that often otherwise lack the resources to rebuild shuttered health institutions.”
What’s next
Future research should investigate the factors influencing the link between climate disasters and health care infrastructure loss, including policy, funding, and community resilience, the authors said.