Cold exposure injuries like frostbite and hypothermia are eight times more common for unhoused people in Alaska than those with secure housing, according to recent research by the Alaska Section of Epidemiology.
Riley Fitting, an epidemiologist with the state, said cold exposure injuries can be serious.
“Just because we’re in Alaska and we’re hearty, and we understand the winter, and we know things are cold, but we still go out and do things in the cold, it’s important to realize that not everybody can warm up,” Fitting said. “And if we can’t warm up, we’re at much higher risks of these lasting health outcomes.”
In severe forms, frostbite can require amputations, and hypothermia can cause death. Fitting, who worked with Julie Morris from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to publish the data, said the research focused on moderate to severe cases that required emergency care or hospitalization.
He said about a quarter of cold exposure injuries were caused directly because people were unhoused. He also said the rate of cold injuries for unhoused people has increased over the past several years, likely because of recent harsh winters. But in harsh winters, people with homes aren’t similarly at higher risk of cold-induced injury.
Fitting said it’s much easier to prevent cold weather injuries.
“The area for prevention here is huge,’ Fitting said. “The area for mitigation once it has already happened is not so huge.”
Fitting said prevention can include community outreach and supplying cold weather equipment like blankets and hand warmers.
Alaska’s biggest population of unhoused people live in Anchorage. The city is planning to provide about 500 temporary shelter spaces over the winter months, which will cover the estimated need in the city.
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Rachel Cassandra covers health and wellness for Alaska Public Media. Reach her atrcassandra@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Rachel here.
