Oral

Purpose: Heat waves and extreme hot weather conditions pose a substantial public health risk. These events have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. More recently, the focus of heat-vulnerability risk assessments has increasingly been in the urban population. Recent studies in the US have found that when compared to compact metropolitan regions, sprawling metropolitan regions to have experienced greater adverse health outcomes, twice the rate of extreme heat events, and >50% more days with excessive ozone levels. Additionally, assessments of the 2003 European heat wave have found that exposure to excessive heat coupled with elevated levels of ozone and particulate matter were the primary environmental factors in excess mortality during this crisis. It is becoming increasing evident that a sustainable approach to this emerging environmental public health threat requires a multi-disciplinary approach by scientists, local government officials, urban planners, and community members. Relevance: A heat-related surveillance program (and a resulting heat vulnerability index) that integrates population data, remote sensing, and geographic information systems is critical. Population health data (especially that which includes the demographic and geographic distribution of chronic disease within a community) would have a tremendous impact in averting physiological heat stress which can lead to death in these vulnerable individuals. The phenomenon of “urban heat-islands” has added an extra layer of risk for health disparities among urban populations who already share a disproportionate burden of chronic disease and poor health outcomes. Importance: This session will provide a template that will be useful for ongoing heat event preparedness and surveillance activities. Representatives from local, state, and national agencies will benefit from this session as we discuss proactive interventions for reducing disparities in health outcomes due to heat waves and extreme hot weather.

Session Objectives: 1.Demonstrate the process by which surveillance for the demographic and geographic vulnerability to heat-related morbidity and mortality (i.e., a heat vulnerability index) is developed 2.Identify personal and built environment factors that confer additional risk to heat-related morbidity and mortality and demonstrate strategies that have been used to mitigate this additional risk 3.Compare local programs that have combined data from numerous sources to develop heat-vulnerability assessment and intervention programs in Detroit, Phoenix, Philadelphia, and New York City

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)