Preexisting Risk Drove Poststorm Events - Summary - MDSpire
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Preexisting Risk Drove Poststorm Events

Analysis of nearly 1.6 million veterans showed preexisting community health inequities largely explained poststorm cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes.

  • By

  • Andrea Surnit

  • May 6, 2026

  • 4 min

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Objective:

To investigate the relationship between hurricane exposure and cardiovascular and respiratory events in veterans, focusing on preexisting health disparities.

Key Findings:
  • Apparent increases in health events post-hurricanes were largely explained by preexisting health disparities.
  • Neighborhood disadvantage was the strongest predictor of adverse outcomes, with higher cardiovascular risks in more disadvantaged areas.
  • Older age correlated with higher cardiovascular event hazards, while female veterans showed lower cardiovascular but higher respiratory event hazards.
Interpretation:

The findings suggest that underlying health disparities, rather than direct hurricane exposure, significantly influence poststorm health outcomes.

Limitations:
  • Analysis only included VHA-delivered care, potentially missing events treated elsewhere.
  • Possible exposure misclassification due to FEMA housing-damage thresholds.
  • Subgroup analyses were exploratory and unadjusted for multiple comparisons.
Conclusion:

The study advocates for a shift in disaster preparedness strategies to address social determinants of health and environmental hazards rather than reactive responses to individual storms.

Original Source(s)

Preexisting Risk Drove Poststorm Events

  • by Andrea Surnit

  • May 6, 2026

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