Weather-related barriers to primary care use in older adults with chronic conditions
Official title: Examining the Impact of Weather-Related Barriers on Primary Care Utilization in Older Adults with Chronic Conditions
Funded at Aurora Health Care, INC. · NIH-11353512 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how bad weather affects whether older adults with chronic diseases can keep routine primary care appointments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Aurora Health Care, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $471,196 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AG101476-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11353512 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults (21+) with chronic conditions, including those with Alzheimer’s disease dementia, who experience or are at risk for missed primary care visits.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not rely on primary care visits or who do not have chronic conditions may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
If weather makes it harder for seniors to visit their primary care doctors, they may miss important monitoring and treatment for conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, COPD, heart failure, and Alzheimer’s disease. The study uses data from real-world settings to understand which weather factors (extreme heat or cold, heavy rain/snow) are most linked to missed visits. Findings could inform practical ways to keep appointments on track, including telemedicine options or outreach during bad weather. The goal is to improve continuity of care and health outcomes for older adults with chronic conditions, especially those at risk for cognitive issues.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of weather-related barriers could lead to targeted strategies to reduce missed visits and improve health outcomes for older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Some prior work links weather to healthcare access, but this project focuses on older adults with chronic diseases and may provide more targeted, actionable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Aurora Health Care, INC.
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chang, Eva — Aurora Health Care, INC.
- Study coordinator: Chang, Eva
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
HEARTS hypertension and diabetes care in Guatemala
This grant tests how well the HEARTS primary care model works in Guatemala to improve blood pressure and blood sugar control for patients.
-
Primary Care HEART-NET: boosting access to research in the Deep South
A collaboration across three universities will build primary care research networks in Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi to improve access to care and help prevent and manage chronic diseases.
-
Primary Care Bridge: Building Research in Diverse Geographic Settings
A national network hub in New Mexico will connect rural clinics and communities to faster, more usable primary care research so patients in underserved areas can benefit from new evidence.
-
WREN: Expanding Research Capacity in Rural Primary Care Clinics
A nationwide network in Wisconsin will strengthen rural primary care clinics to participate in real-world research and bring more clinical trials to communities.
-
Primary care research network in Oklahoma to boost rural patient trials
A nationwide NIH-supported effort to strengthen Oklahoma’s primary care research network so doctors can run big clinical trials and real‑world studies in rural communities.
-
PRaCTICe: A Rural and Frontier Clinical Trials Innovation Center
A nationwide network is creating easier, community-led clinical trials in rural and frontier areas to bring more trials to patients where they live.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.