Association of Texas Nursing Home Non-COVID-19 Mortality Following Winter Storm Uri: A Mixed-Effects Spline Analysis.

OBJECTIVES

Nursing Home residents are among the most at-risk populations during disasters. This study aimed to examine changes in nursing home non-COVID-19 mortality in Texas during Winter Storm Uri.

METHODS

Publicly available datasets were examined to determine whether nursing homes in Texas were associated with a change in non-COVID-19 nursing home mortality and a change in non-COVID-19 mortality differences compared to all other states in the 4 weeks following Winter Storm Uri. This study conducted a mixed-effects negative binomial spline analysis of non-COVID-19 mortality during the timeframe.

RESULTS

Although Texas suffered fewer deaths overall compared to the rest of the country, Texas experienced a 20% increase in non-COVID-19 deaths in the first 7 days of Winter Storm Uri, and a reduction in the change of deaths compared to all other states, indicating a 19% decrease in the difference between the 2 directly following the storm.

CONCLUSIONS

Texas suffered a significant increase in non-COVID-19 nursing home mortality during Winter Storm Uri, but overall lower levels of mortality compared to the rest of the nation. Future research should examine other states or counties that experienced significant energy outages for a more comprehensive understanding of the storm's effects.