How extreme heat and cold affect older adults across the U.S.
Effects of Extreme Temperature on Aging Populations in the United States: AGeographically Granular Assessment of Present and Future Impacts by Race and Ethnicity
This project maps how very hot and very cold temperatures affect health in older adults living in different U.S. neighborhoods.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248749 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You’ll learn how extreme heat and cold affect older people where you live by combining fine-scale temperature maps with neighborhood and health data. The team will use 4x4 km temperature grids for the contiguous U.S. and link them to census tracts and county-level socio-demographic and cause-of-death records. They will estimate current and future health impacts for people of different ages, races, ethnicities, and income levels and look at how air pollution and pre-existing heart conditions change those risks. This work uses national health and population data rather than enrolling people in clinics.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The focus is on adults aged 65 and older, especially those with cardiovascular disease or living in hotter or colder regions and vulnerable neighborhoods, whose health records or mortality data feed the analysis.
Not a fit: People under about 65 without chronic conditions or those living outside the contiguous United States are unlikely to see direct benefit from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide targeted warnings, cooling/heating resources, and policies to reduce heat- and cold-related illness and deaths among older adults.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked non-optimal temperatures to increased deaths (including a prior estimate by the PI of ~124,000 U.S. deaths in 2019), but this high-resolution, race/ethnicity- and age-focused future projection approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Burkart, Katrin Gabriele — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Burkart, Katrin Gabriele
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 below.