Hypothermia, frostbite cases jumped in Louisville this winter. Here's by how much
After a harsh winter, including Louisville's worst winter storm in over a decade, local health care providers reported hundreds of cases of hypothermia and frostbite — which some outreach workers say predominantly affected unhoused residents.
Although the providers could not confirm whether their patients were unhoused, advocacy groups say frostbite, hypothermia and even amputations are not uncommon among the homeless population. At least two people died from hypothermia in February, while media reported a New Albany man suffered hypothermia and frostbite in January. All were unhoused.
At Norton Healthcare, both hypothermia and frostbite cases doubled in comparison to 2024. Norton recorded 298 cases of hypothermia this year, compared to least year's 195. Instances of frostbite, while much lower, also increased from 9 to 16.
The majority of cases were seen at outpatient practices. But for patients seen at hospitals, the highest number visited Norton Downtown.
A spokesperson for Norton told The Courier Journal those numbers could be slightly off as the total figures do not include Norton Clark, Norton Scott, Norton Kings' Daughter and Norton West Louisville. Patients could also be double counted if suffering from both frostbite and hypothermia.
UofL Health's burn unit, which treats tissue injuries like frostbite, saw two cases between November and December 2024, one of which was treated outpatient and one severe enough for hospital admission. From January to mid-April, UofL saw 29 cases treated outpatient and four severe enough to be admitted.
Homeless advocates say the unhoused are uniquely vulnerable to conditions like hypothermia and frostbite due to consistent exposure to the elements, like rain, snow, wind and freezing temperatures.
They fear stricter camping laws, like the Safer Kentucky Act and a similar bill going through the Indiana legislature, could make it harder for those suffering to access treatment and stay safe in extreme weather conditions.
Dr. Robert Wojda at the Family Health Center Phoenix clinic, which provides medical care for those experiencing homelessness, said they've seen less than 10 people with frostbite this winter but added it's not uncommon to see a few cases a year, especially among those struggling with mental illness.
“We had a mentally ill patient on the respite unit who basically had a frostbite injury to his fingers, and he would just have had the bones sticking out and just the tissue had fallen off,” Wojda said.
While many people associate hypothermia or frostbite with the coldest temperatures, it can occur even in milder weather if people are exposed to the elements.
“It does not have to drop below freezing, because the tissues are wet and there's a wind chill and everything like that, and you can start getting tissue damage,” Wojda said.
Frostbite isn’t the only concern amongst the homeless population. Wet conditions, like after days or rain or flooding, can also have serious impacts on health and safety for those living unhoused. Wodja said trench foot, or tissue damage caused by long-term exposure to cold and wet conditions, is also common among the unhoused.
“If you're walking around in wet boots or shoes for three, four days in a row — really the skin doesn't like that,” Wodja said.
Advocates who work with unhoused residents say Kentucky's stricter camping laws have made it more difficult for organizations and doctors to find people who may need medical attention, especially in bad weather conditions. Wodja said he used to see several patients at a camp that has since dispersed.
“I would see a lot of my patients there, and I would give them a bus pass and say, ‘come on down and see me’ — it's only 15 streets,” Wodja said. “And they would come by, and I was able to take care of them. I don't know where most of them went.”
David Smillie, director of Louisville Outreach for the Unsheltered, said his group had to extract people suffering from frostbite from remote camps, as some people who refuse shelters are heading farther and farther away from the downtown area.
Finding spaces for those recovering from frostbite or other injuries due to longtime exposure is also difficult, with limited beds available for medical respite.
“I fill out these forms that say somebody's medically fragile, write these letters that say somebody's medically fragile, that helps people get into the housing and these are really medically fragile people with heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, all that kind of stuff, and they need it now,” Wodja said. “It'll be interesting to see half a year, a year from now, how many are able to keep there?”
Keeping people equipped with rain or cold-weather gear is also difficult. Wodja recalled providing a patients with recurring trench foot with multiple pairs of socks and shoes in an effort to keep dry. The patient was only able to recover after getting into stable housing.
Smillie said organizations like Louisville Outreach for the Unsheltered are constantly replenishing items like sleeping bags, tarps, tents and clothing for people effected by clearings.
“Our people don't have the ability to weatherproof their shelters, whatever that shelter might be, whether it's a tent or whatever, tarps, because once the city finds those shelters, they clear a lot of the protective gear that ourselves and all the other outreaches provide to people,” Smillie said. “It ends up in the trash truck.”
Paul Stensrud, founder of Jesus Cares at Exit 0 in Jeffersonville, said hypothermia is one of the hardest things to combat while unhoused, as the only real preventative measure is staying warm and dry.
“Nobody wants to say that word but we have a major crisis with homelessness right now because there's a lack of housing,” Stensrud said.
To view the full article, please visit: Hypothermia cases rise in Louisville in 2025. Who's most at risk?
