@article{spurlock_sewell_sugg_runkle_mercado_tyson_russell_2024, title={A spatial analysis of power-dependent medical equipment and extreme weather risk in the southeastern United States (vol 95, 103844, 2023)}, volume={103}, ISSN={["2212-4209"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104306}, journal={INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION}, author={Spurlock, Taylin and Sewell, Kelly and Sugg, Margaret M. and Runkle, Jennifer D. and Mercado, Rodrigo and Tyson, Jennifer Schroeder and Russell, Jamie}, year={2024}, month={Mar} }
 @article{sewell_paul_de polt_sugg_leeper_rao_runkle_2024, title={Impacts of compounding drought and heatwave events on child mental health: insights from a spatial clustering analysis}, volume={4}, ISSN={["2731-4383"]}, DOI={10.1007/s44192-023-00055-0}, abstractNote={Abstract Background Concurrent heatwave and drought events may have larger health impacts than each event separately; however, no US-based studies have examined differential mental health impacts of compound drought and heatwave events in pediatric populations. Objective To examine the spatial patterns of mood disorders and suicide-related emergency department (ED) visits in children during heatwave, drought, and compound heatwave and drought events. We tested whether the occurrence of compound heatwave and drought events have a synergistic (multiplicative) effect on the risk of mental health related outcomes in children as compared to the additive effect of each individual climate hazard. Lastly, we identified household and community-level determinants of geographic variability of high psychiatric burden. Methods Daily counts of psychiatric ED visits in North Carolina from 2016 to 2019 (May to Sept) for pediatric populations were aggregated at the county scale. Bernoulli cluster analyses identified high-risk spatial clusters of psychiatric morbidity during heatwave, drought, or compound heatwave and drought periods. Multivariate adaptive regression models examined the individual importance of household and community-level determinants in predicting high-risk clustering of mood disorders or suicidality across the three climate threats. Results Results showed significant spatial clustering of suicide and mood disorder risks in children during heatwave, drought, and compound event periods. Periods of drought were associated with the highest likelihood of spatial clustering for suicide and mood disorders, where the risk of an ED visit was 4.48 and 6.32 times higher, respectively, compared to non-drought periods. Compounding events were associated with a threefold increase in both suicide and mood disorder-related ED visits. Community and household vulnerability factors that most contributed to spatial clustering varied across climate hazards, but consistent determinants included residential segregation, green space availability, low English proficiency, overcrowding, no broadband access, no vehicle access, housing vacancy, and availability of housing units. Conclusion Findings advance understanding on the locations of vulnerable pediatric populations who are disproportionately exposed to compounding climate stressors and identify community resilience factors to target in public health adaptation strategies.}, number={1}, journal={DISCOVER MENTAL HEALTH}, author={Sewell, Kelly and Paul, Sudeshna and De Polt, Kelley and Sugg, Maggie M. and Leeper, Ronald D. and Rao, Douglas and Runkle, Jennifer D.}, year={2024}, month={Jan} }
 @article{spurlock_sewell_sugg_runkle_mercado_tyson_russell_2023, title={A spatial analysis of power-dependent medical equipment and extreme weather risk in the southeastern United States}, volume={95}, ISSN={["2212-4209"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.103844}, abstractNote={Extreme weather events endanger critical health infrastructure, and many individuals rely on infrastructure to meet their basic needs, such as heat, water, and medical devices. The purpose of this study is to identify spatially explicit at-risk populations for power outages due to these extreme weather events. To accomplish this, we used the HHS emPOWER Emergency Planning Dataset, which was created to help public health authorities plan for and address the needs of communities. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), we overlay emPOWER data with the frequency of extreme weather events, including wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, and ice storms. Through our analysis, we identified vulnerable areas for high rates of disasters and electricity-dependent durable medical equipment (DME) to be located in communities along the coast. We also found a higher concentration of DME in rural areas compared to urban areas. In addition, we found least privileged economic locations are disproportionately vulnerable to power outages in the southeastern United States due to their high concentration of DME individuals. These results will inform public health officials where to target interventions to ensure continuity of care for vulnerable populations during power outages at the community level.}, journal={INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION}, author={Spurlock, Taylin and Sewell, Kelly and Sugg, Margaret M. and Runkle, Jennifer D. and Mercado, Rodrigo and Tyson, Jennifer Schroeder and Russell, Jamie}, year={2023}, month={Sep} }