Local cooling and education programs to protect people from extreme heat
Research Project
Testing community-focused cooling tools and education to help older adults with chronic conditions and vulnerable households stay safer during extreme heat in Boston, Madagascar, and South Africa.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193891 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project works with communities in Boston, rural Madagascar, and urban South Africa to measure how heat affects people's health using a common questionnaire and other local data. At each site, researchers will offer and study practical cooling options such as education, community cooling spaces, and household cooling or air-filtration approaches. The team will run intervention studies and cohort-controlled follow-ups to see whether these solutions improve thermal conditions and health for high-risk people. Local partners will help tailor the tools so they fit each community's needs and settings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are high-risk older adults with chronic diseases and material hardships in Boston, residents of small rural communities in Madagascar, and households living in heat-exposed urban neighborhoods in South Africa.
Not a fit: People who do not experience extreme heat, who live outside the three study regions, or whose needs are unrelated to heat exposure may not receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could reduce heat-related illness and improve daily comfort and safety for older adults and vulnerable households in hot environments.
How similar studies have performed: Previous programs using cooling centers, home cooling, and education have reduced heat-related problems in some settings, but this multisite, community-tailored approach combining several solutions is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Golden, Christopher Deweir — Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
- Study coordinator: Golden, Christopher Deweir
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.