Wildfires and Older Adults: A Scoping Review of Impacts, Risks, and Interventions
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Inclusion Criteria
- Published in a peer-reviewed journal;
- Available in English language;
- Examines at least one topic related to wildfires;
- Examines how criterion (3) relates to older adults in at least one way.
2.2. Literature Search and Screening
- “older adult*” OR senior* OR elder* OR “older person*” OR “older people” OR geriatric* OR gerontolog* OR “old age” OR “long term care” OR “nursing home*” OR “assisted living” OR “independent living” OR “skilled nursing facilit*” OR “memory care” OR “residential care” OR “retirement communit*”;
- 2.
- wildfire* OR “wild fire*” OR bushfire* OR “bush fire*” OR bushfire* OR “forest fire*” OR “brush fire*” OR brushfire* OR “wildland fire*” OR “uncontrolled fire*” OR “fire season*”.
2.3. Data Extraction and Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Basic Characteristics of the Literature
3.2. Environmental: Hazards, Climate Change, and Disaster Recovery Cycle
3.3. Older Adult Findings
3.4. Thematic Topics, Problem-Focus, Interventions, Recommendations, and Future Research
3.5. Study Strengths and Limitations
4. Discussion
4.1. Wildfires and Older Adults: Increased Engagement and Trends
4.2. Dominant Narratives: Secondary Data and Epidemiological Studies
4.3. Older Adults: Lived Experiences and Primary Data Sources
4.4. Social Support and Community Focus
4.5. Elders and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
4.6. Increased Focus on (Un)Natural Disasters: Climate Change and Environmental Justice
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
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Characteristic | n (%) |
---|---|
Paper Type | |
Quantitative | 33 (44) |
Qualitative | 20 (26.7) |
Mixed Methods | 3 (4) |
Systematic/Scoping Review | 7 (9.3) |
Conceptual Papers | 9 (12) |
Other (e.g., commentary, interview transcript) | 3 (4) |
Method | |
Secondary Data | 28 (37.3) |
Remote-Sensed Environmental Measures (Air Quality) | 22 (29.3) |
Interviews | 16 (21.3) |
Systematic Review | 7 (9.3) |
Survey | 7 (9.3) |
Focus Group | 6 (8) |
Case Study | 5 (6.7) |
Field Research | 4 (5.3) |
Biological Data | 4 (5.3) |
Other Methods | 6 (8) |
Not Applicable (e.g., conceptual papers or other paper type) | 12 (16) |
Environmental Categories | n (%) | Examples |
---|---|---|
Hazards | ||
Fire | 75 (100) | |
Air Quality | 41 (54.7) | |
Heat | 12 (16) | |
Haze | 5 (6.7) | |
Specific Wildfire(s) | ||
Specific Wildfire | 13 (17.3) | |
Wildfire Season/ Time Period | 19 (25.3) | |
Climate Change (CC) | ||
Mentions | 41 (54.7) | |
Adaptation | 41 (54.7) | |
Mitigation | 18 (24) | |
Article Focuses on CC | 7 (9.3) | |
Disaster Recovery Cycle | ||
Mentions | 42 (56) | |
Recovery | 9 (12) |
|
Response | 24 (32) | |
Mitigation | 25 (33.3) | |
Preparation | 22 (29.3) | |
Environmental Justice (EJ) | ||
Explicit mention of EJ | 2 (3) | |
Alludes to EJ | 40 (53) | |
No Mention of EJ | 33 (44) | |
Indigenous or Aboriginal Peoples | ||
Traditional Fire Knowledge | 12 (16) | |
Focus on Indigenous or Aboriginal Lands | 14 (18.7) |
Categories Related to Older Adults | n (%) | Examples |
---|---|---|
Focus Demographic | ||
Older Adults Sole Focus | 22 (29.3) | |
Focus on Older Adults in Addition to Others | 31 (41.3) | |
Mentioned Older Adults, but not Focus | 22 (29.3) | |
Data Sources | ||
From Older Adults | 18 (24) | |
About Older Adults | 52 (69.3) | |
Both | 5 (6.7) | |
Living Environment | ||
Community | 20 (26.7) | |
Long-Term Care | 4 (5.3) | |
Not Specified | 51 (68) |
Thematic Topic | n (%) | Examples |
---|---|---|
Animals/Pets | 13 (17.3) | |
Caregivers | 9 (12) | |
COVID-19 | 2 (2.7) | |
Evacuation | 26 (34.7) | |
Health Issues | 45 (60) | |
Intergenerational | 11 (14.7) | |
Mental Health | 19 (25.3) | |
Morbidity/Mortality | 36 (48) |
|
Social Support or Social Capital | 28 (37.3) |
Categories | n (%) | Examples |
---|---|---|
Problem Description | 56 (74.7) | |
Responses or Interventions | 31 (41.3) | |
Solutions and Recommendations | 61 (81.3) | |
Future Research Directions | 61 (81.3) |
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Melton, C.C.; De Fries, C.M.; Smith, R.M.; Mason, L.R. Wildfires and Older Adults: A Scoping Review of Impacts, Risks, and Interventions. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 6252. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20136252
Melton CC, De Fries CM, Smith RM, Mason LR. Wildfires and Older Adults: A Scoping Review of Impacts, Risks, and Interventions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(13):6252. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20136252
Chicago/Turabian StyleMelton, Colleen Cummings, Carson M. De Fries, Rebecca M. Smith, and Lisa Reyes Mason. 2023. "Wildfires and Older Adults: A Scoping Review of Impacts, Risks, and Interventions" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, no. 13: 6252. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20136252