ANN ARBOR—A significant majority of older Americans, nearly 75%, have encountered at least one extreme weather event in the last two years, with these experiences influencing their views on climate change’s health impacts, reveals a University of Michigan poll.
The National Poll on Healthy Aging indicates that 59% of those aged 50 and over express concern about climate change affecting their health. This concern spikes to 70% among those recently experiencing events like wildfires, extreme heat, or prolonged power outages, compared to 26% who hadn’t encountered such events.
Women, individuals with fair or poor mental health, and urban dwellers among older adults also show heightened concern about climate change’s health effects. However, merely 6% of people over 50 have discussed the potential impacts of extreme weather on their health with a healthcare provider.
This suggests an opportunity for older adults to seek guidance on protecting themselves from wildfire smoke, preparing for medication disruptions, or locating emergency shelters such as cooling centers. “Our findings suggest a need to help more older adults understand and take steps to prepare for the impacts of wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, extreme heat waves, winter storms and more, especially when it comes to the medications, medical supplies, electricity and access to care that these emergencies can disrupt,” said Sue Anne Bell, a nurse practitioner and U-M School of Nursing associate professor.
The poll, supported by Michigan Medicine and conducted in August 2024, predates significant climate emergencies like Hurricane Helene and Los Angeles wildfires. The years 2023 and 2024 nearly matched in billion-dollar weather disasters, increasing over older adults’ lifetimes.
Beyond personal health concerns, 74% of those aged 50 and over worry about climate change’s impact on future generations, with 43% very concerned. Among those facing weather emergencies recently, concern rises to 83% compared to 45% without such experiences.
Extreme heat topped the list of common weather events experienced by respondents, with 63% facing major heatwaves recently. Wildfire-related poor air quality affected 35%, severe storms 31%, and prolonged power outages 13%. The poll highlights older adults’ concerns about future climate effects: extreme heat (70%), air pollution (69%), infrastructure loss (68%), severe storms (68%), and infectious disease changes (66%).
Poll director Jeffrey Kullgren notes the direct health impacts on older adults, such as breathing difficulties from smoke and vulnerability to extreme temperatures, alongside indirect effects like stress and medication access issues. Bell emphasizes emergency planning importance for those with complex health needs, encouraging discussions with healthcare providers and local authorities.
Those with health limitations were slightly more likely to have discussed climate-related preparedness with providers, at 8% compared to 5% of others. Among these, 64% took action to prepare. The U.S. government’s Ready.gov offers guidance on extreme weather and emergencies.
The poll findings are based on a national survey by NORC at the University of Chicago for IHPI, conducted online and by phone in August 2024, among 3,486 adults aged 50 to 94. The data was weighted for U.S. population representation. Access past National Poll on Healthy Aging reports and learn more about the poll methodology.
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