Morbidity and mortality among older adults spike in the winter months. Episodes of severe weather often result in spikes in doctor consultations, hospital admissions, and cardiovascular deaths among older adults. U.K. researchers have sought ways to integrate promising research on how to reduce risk factors related to extreme winter weather into the national weather early warning system. Utilizing research literature, they produced an informational booklet for older adults and tested the impact of this booklet on behavior change and knowledge on a sample of older adults.
The research they conducted was carried out in four stages, the first involving a systematic review that identified a list of 28 items containing evidence-based advice. Second, they formed a consensus conference so that experts could weigh in on the practicality and validity of the items, resulting in a selection of 22 of the original items. Next, they engaged older adults in focus groups, testing the meaningfulness of the booklets. Finally, the researchers partnered with the U.K. Met Office to integrate the booklet into their winter weather early warning system.
The final field trial of the booklet tested whether it was effective in raising awareness about the health risks associated with severe weather, changing attitudes about staying warm in the winter months, and promoting behavioral changes. Enlisting 37 volunteers between ages 64 and 83, researchers conducted home visits and interviewed participants regarding their health risk-related behaviors and beliefs about cold weather events, among other things. Their results show that respondents changed their behaviors related to cold weather; however, long-standing beliefs about healthy environments or going outside and anxieties about heating costs were barriers to behavior change.
The researchers believe that public health advocates who are concerned about the health consequences of severe weather could follow this partnership with the national weather service as a model.
Source: Gascoigne, C., Morgan, K., Gross, H. Goodwin, J. 20190. Reducing the health risks of severe winter weather among older people in the UK: an evidence-based intervention. Ageing and Society 30: 275-297.
