Skip to main content

As Days Heat Up, More Seniors Skip Doc Appointments

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on July 22, 2024.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, July 22, 2024 -- More folks, especially seniors, are missing doctors’ appointments due to extreme weather, a new study shows.

The rate of missed primary care appointments increases 0.64% for every 1-degree increase in temperatures 90 degrees or hotter, researchers reported recently in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The same goes for cold days, with the rate of missed appointments increasing by 0.72% for every 1-degree decrease in temperatures below 39 degrees.

Patients aged 65 and older and those with chronic diseases were most likely to miss appointments as temperatures grew more extreme, researchers found.

“When patients don’t show up at appointments, they damage their own health and also cause downstream consequences for others,” said lead researcher Dr. Janet Fitzpatrick, a clinical associate professor with the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia.

“No-shows waste valuable appointment slots that could be used for others anxiously awaiting appointments and can lead to decreased patient satisfaction due to longer wait times,” Fitzpatrick added in a university news release. “It also makes our nation’s healthcare system more expensive, due to increased use of urgent care and emergency room visits, and poorer management of chronic illness leading to more medical care needed in the future.”

For the study, researchers tracked more than 1 million appointments for 91,580 adult patients at 13 university outpatient clinics in Philadelphia between 2009 and 2019.

They linked those appointments to temperature tracking from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to see whether climate change might be affecting people’s ability to see their doctor.

“Extreme temperatures from climate change threaten the health and well-being of all patients with chronic health conditions,” said senior researcher Dr. Nathalie May, a professor with the Drexel College of Medicine.

“We must be especially vigilant for our most vulnerable patients who may not have the resources to combat extreme heat or extreme cold stretches,” May added. “In studying the impact of climate change in primary care utilization, we hope to promote policies that support health and equity in light of the negative effects of climate change, especially in cities.”

Health systems can counter this trend by leaning on telemedicine, Fitzpatrick said.

“During the COVID pandemic, telemedicine became an integral part of healthcare delivery,” Fitzpatrick said. “With worsening climate change, this study supports advocating for permanent telemedicine coverage as an option to ensure patients can get the care they need.”

Sources

  • Drexel University, news release, July 18, 2024

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted July 2024

Read this next

At Two Dallas Hospitals, Kids' ER Visits for Heat Illness Nearly Tripled Over Last Decade

FRIDAY, September 27, 2024 -- In a sign that climate change may be fueling heat illnesses in kids, a new study reveals that such visits to two Texas children's emergency rooms...

Climate Change Could Triple U.S. Heat Deaths by Mid-Century

MONDAY, Sept. 23, 2024 -- If global warming is left largely unchecked, the number of Americans who succumb to extreme heat will triple by mid-century, new projections...

California's Drought Cycles Raise Threat of Dangerous Airborne Fungus

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 5, 2024 -- Weather patterns in California that have been exacerbated by climate change could be fueling more cases of a dangerous fungal infection, scientists...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.