Emergency Preparedness in Older Adults With and Without COPD During Power Outages and Natural Disasters

Alejandro P Comellas; Emma M Stapleton; Brandi Janssen; Hans-Joachim Lehmler; Peter S Thorne; Jacqueline Curnick; Kimberly Sprenger; Deborah O'Connell; Eric Garcia; Eric Bruening; Aniket Mittal; Sato Ashida

doi:10.1177/07334648261431433

Back

Emergency Preparedness in Older Adults With and Without COPD During Power Outages and Natural Disasters

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Emergency Preparedness in Older Adults With and Without COPD During Power Outages and Natural Disasters

Alejandro P Comellas, Emma M Stapleton, Brandi Janssen, Hans-Joachim Lehmler, Peter S Thorne, Jacqueline Curnick, Kimberly Sprenger, Deborah O'Connell, Eric Garcia, Eric Bruening, …

Journal of applied gerontology

03/04/2026

DOI: 10.1177/07334648261431433

PMID: 41780550

View Online

Abstract

Rural older adults, particularly those with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), face significant risks to medical care during power outages caused by natural disasters. This cross-sectional study surveyed 222 Iowan adults aged 45-80 between March and May 2024 to assess disaster preparedness for power outages. Nearly nine in 10 participants experienced recent outages, yet 42% maintained a specific medical care plan for such events. Those with COPD exhibited moderately greater levels of preparedness, including higher rates of saving extra medication and establishing emergency communication plans. They were also twice as likely to have a care plan or emergency medication. Despite these gains, comprehensive preparedness remained low. The study highlights that recurrent disasters, such as windstorms and wildfire smoke, expose critical gaps in medical and emergency planning in rural communities. These results underscore the urgent need for tailored, disease-specific strategies and educational interventions to strengthen disaster resilience among rural populations.

chronic illness

disasters

rural

Details

Title: Subtitle: Emergency Preparedness in Older Adults With and Without COPD During Power Outages and Natural Disasters
Creators: Alejandro P Comellas - Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Occupational Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Emma M Stapleton - University of Iowa
Brandi Janssen - University of Iowa
Hans-Joachim Lehmler - Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Peter S Thorne - University of Iowa
Jacqueline Curnick - University of Iowa
Kimberly Sprenger - University of Iowa
Deborah O'Connell - Institute of Clinical Translational Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Eric Garcia - Institute of Clinical Translational Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Eric Bruening - University of Iowa
Aniket Mittal - Mercy Hospital
Sato Ashida - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of applied gerontology
DOI: 10.1177/07334648261431433
PMID: 41780550
NLM abbreviation: J Appl Gerontol
ISSN: 1552-4523
eISSN: 1552-4523
Publisher: Sage
Grant note: NIEHS/NIH: P30 ES005605
The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by P30 ES005605 from NIEHS/NIH.
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 03/04/2026
Academic Unit: Public Health Administration; Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Occupational Medicine; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health; ICTS; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Injury Prevention Research Center; Chemistry; Community and Behavioral Health; Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9985141898702771

Metrics

7 Record Views