Clinical Attributes of Patients in Medical Sheltering Operations in the U.S. South Following Major Hurricanes, 2020-2021

Abstract Medical shelters are frequently utilized after major disasters to care for displaced individuals with severe mobility limitations and chronic medical conditions that may be inadequately addressed in general population sheltering. A retrospective chart review was conducted on 680 patients served in state-operated Medical Needs Shelters (MNS) in Louisiana following three major hurricanes from 2020 to 2021. The authors aimed to produce a descriptive analysis of the degree and variety of medical complexity of patients within the shelters to guide future shelter planning. Data illustrate demographic characteristics, clinical attributes, and outcomes among shelter patients. Patients were found to have numerous medical comorbidities, often with serious concomitant neuropsychiatric, cardiovascular, and pulmonary conditions. The shelter population was highly dependent on nursing staff for medication management and activities of daily living. They also had high utilization of respiratory therapies, hemodialysis, and wound care. Clinically significant events (e.g., falls, mental status changes, vital sign abnormalities), often resulting in transport to local hospitals, occurred in approximately 20% of all patient stays. Limitations of the study include suspected underreporting of disease prevalence and the study’s retrospective approach. Public health planners should consider the clinical needs of this population when designing strategic and tactical approaches to mass care for medically vulnerable individuals. Future research might examine which factors place individuals at higher risk for decompensation within a medical shelter.