How heat at home and in neighborhoods affects people's health in New Orleans
NOLA HEAT-MAP: New Orleans Home, Environment, and Ambient Temperature: Measurements and Analysis for Preparedness
This project will track indoor and outdoor temperatures and health records to understand how heat affects children, adults, and older people in New Orleans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261222 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We will collect temperature readings from neighborhoods and from inside volunteers' homes and link those measurements to local health records and emergency visits. Researchers will compare different ways of measuring heat—like very hot days, long heat waves, or warm nights—to see which patterns best match increases in illness and deaths. They will examine housing, neighborhood features, and personal factors to build a heat-health vulnerability index showing who is most at risk. Citizen-sourced indoor and outdoor sensors will make the findings specific to New Orleans so warnings and resources can be targeted where they are needed most.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are New Orleans residents—especially children, older adults, and people with health conditions—who can share indoor temperature readings or health information.
Not a fit: People who live outside the New Orleans area or whose health problems are unrelated to heat exposure may not receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help target heat warnings, cooling resources, and policies to better protect people at highest risk in New Orleans.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked extreme heat to more hospital visits and deaths, but collecting home temperature data and creating a New Orleans-specific vulnerability index is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Madrigano, Jaime — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Madrigano, Jaime
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.