Informing Policy Through a Vulnerability Assessment of Heat-Related Mortality
Abstract
On average, extreme heat results in more deaths than any other weather-related event in the U.S. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2018 was one of the hottest years on record. As the climate continues to change, there will be increased social consequences of more frequent and severe heat waves. To allocate resources efficiently, policymakers need to understand what populations are most at risk for the health effects of extreme heat and why, and options for mitigating those risks. This presentation will cover research studies that have informed extreme heat mitigation and adaptation policy in New York City (NYC). In the first epidemiology study, we assessed individual and neighborhood determinants for heat-related mortality. Environmental determinants, including green space and neighborhood socioeconomic position, as well as demographic characteristics, such as non-Hispanic black race, increased the likelihood of dying during a heat wave. The results of this work informed the creation of a heat vulnerability index (HVI) which has been used to prioritize neighborhood investments in heat mitigation and adaptation. In the second survey study, we examined explanatory factors for heat-related disparities, including socioeconomic characteristics, risk perception, and barriers to protective behaviors. We found that lack of access to air conditioning partially explained disparities in heat-related health outcomes and that there were opportunities for knowledge building and engagement on heat-health awareness. Results of these studies are part of a larger body of work being used to inform climate and health policies in NYC.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMGH34A..08M
- Keywords:
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- 0240 Public health;
- GEOHEALTH;
- 1630 Impacts of global change;
- GLOBAL CHANGE;
- 4313 Extreme events;
- NATURAL HAZARDS;
- 4330 Vulnerability;
- NATURAL HAZARDS