Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) awarded the University of Colorado-Denver a Project Grant of $657,426 under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866) beginning April 1, 2026, with a completion date of January 31, 2030. This research initiative addresses the critical healthcare vulnerability of rural older adults with critical illness during extreme weather events. The project delivers three integrated research products: (1) survival analyses using Medicare claims data to evaluate the impact of disaster exposure on one-year mortality among critically ill rural older adults compared to non-rural populations; (2) network analyses characterizing interhospital transfer relationships among rural hospitals and examining correlations between these networks and 30-day mortality outcomes; and (3) a qualitative framework based on semi-structured interviews with 45 staff members from four rural hospitals that defines essential elements of healthcare readiness for managing critically ill older adults during disaster events.

This research responds to a documented gap in understanding how extreme weather events disrupt rural intensive care unit (ICU) networks, given that rural communities contain 22% of America's older adults but only 1% of ICU beds. The project combines quantitative health services research methodologies with qualitative healthcare delivery insights to develop evidence-based approaches for enhancing disaster preparedness and clinical outcomes among vulnerable rural populations experiencing critical illness.