Assessing Regional Weather’s Impact on Spinal Cord Injury Survivors, Caregivers, and General Public in Miami, Florida

Danielle Hildegard Bass, Pardis Ghamasaee, Gregory E. Bigford, Mandeville Wakefield, Lunthita M. Duthely and Daniel Samano ()
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Danielle Hildegard Bass: Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Pardis Ghamasaee: Department of Public Health Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Gregory E. Bigford: Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Department of Neurological Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Mandeville Wakefield: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Auburn, AL 36832, USA
Lunthita M. Duthely: Department of Public Health Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Daniel Samano: Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 4, 1-14

Abstract: (1) Background: Climate change is increasing the already frequent diverse extreme weather events (EWE) across geographic locations, directly and indirectly impacting human health. However, current ongoing research fails to address the magnitude of these indirect impacts, including healthcare access. Vulnerable populations such as persons with spinal cord injury (pSCI) face added physiologic burden such as thermoregulation or mobility challenges like closure of public transportation. Our exploratory research assessed commute and transport to healthcare facilities as well as the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors (KAB) of pSCI regarding EWE and climate change when compared to pSCI caregivers (CG) and the general public (GP). (2) Methods: A KAB survey was employed to conduct a cross-sectional assessment of pSCI, CG, and GP in Miami from October through November 2019 using snowball sampling. Descriptive and logistic regression statistical analyses were used. (3) Results: Of 65 eligible survey respondents, 27 (41.5%) were pSCI, 11 (17%) CG, and 27 (41.5%) GP. Overall, pSCI reported EWE, particularly flooding and heavy rain, affecting their daily activities including healthcare appointments, more frequently than CG or GP. The overall models for logistic regression looking at commute to and attendance of healthcare appointments were statistically significant. pSCI self-report being less vulnerable than others, and a large proportion of each group was not fully convinced climate change is happening. (4) Conclusions: This study provided insight to the KAB of 3 population subgroups in Miami, Florida. pSCI are significantly more vulnerable to the effects of regional weather events yet exhibit disproportionate self-perception of their vulnerability. Continued and more comprehensive research is needed to characterize the barriers that vulnerable populations face during weather events.

Keywords: climate change; extreme weather events; knowledge-attitudes-behaviors; environmental health; disability care; risk communication (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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