Nationwide Associations between Multiple Co-Occurring Climate Threats and Neurodegeneration

Columbia University Health Sciences, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

Revised Project 1 – Summary Extreme weather is and will remain a significant threat to human health. While several extreme weather events have been linked to adverse health outcomes like mortality, cardiovascular disease, and mental health, the association between these exposures and neurodegeneration has not been fully investigated. Most existing studies on the impacts of extreme weather on health outcomes have focused on a single exposure. However, many of these events co-occur (compound events), varying across space and time. Health analyses characterizing the overall impact of simultaneous exposure to multiple extreme weather events are critical to fully understanding their effect on neurodegeneration. We will address these critical research, methodological, and knowledge gaps in Project 1. To do so, we will leverage nationwide data on multiple extreme weather events (temperature, temperature variability, heat and cold waves, wildfires, tropical cyclones, Nor’easters, flooding, droughts, tornadoes, extreme precipitation, and secondarily air pollution) and Medicare claims since 2000. We will focus on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) as the primary neurodegenerative outcome. Complementing this, we will also use well-characterized cognitive function data from the Washington Heights/Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP), a prospective study of aging and dementia. Specifically, we will: (1) characterize spatio-temporal patterns in the co-occurrence of extreme weather events across the US (2000–2020) and develop region-specific indices of exposure to multiple co-occurring events (extreme weather index, EWI); (2) investigate the association between short-term exposure to multiple co-occurring extreme weather events and ADRD-related hospitalizations; and (3) examine the association between multiple extreme weather events and cognitive function among WHICAP participants. Housing conditions can influence health outcomes; identifying housing characteristics associated with worse extreme weather-induced adverse health outcomes can lead to actionable solutions. We will examine whether the identified patterns of co-occurring extreme weather events, EWI, and associations with ADRD-related hospitalizations and cognitive function vary by housing characteristics and conditions. We expect our findings to provide actionable insights and help guide effective interventions, investments, and mitigation plans for protecting people and communities.