Reducing heat danger for older adults living in public housing
Heat-Related Health Risk Assessment and Mitigation for Aging Populations in Public Housing: A Community-Individual Environment-Health Nexus
This project looks at whether nearby trees, green spaces, and building features can lower heat stress and related harms for older adults in public housing.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261616 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be part of work that links personal heat exposure and health with the local neighborhood environment. The team will use a heat-stress model built for older bodies, measure microclimate conditions, and make 3‑D maps of green space and housing features. They will combine those data with information on coping ability, emotions, cognition, and social connections to see how neighborhood green infrastructure affects heat risks. The goal is to produce clear, place-based guidance communities can use to protect older residents during hot weather.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Older adults who live in public housing in urban neighborhoods with limited green space or high heat exposure are the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People who do not live in public housing or who are not older adults may not directly benefit from the study's specific findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help reduce heat-related illness among older public-housing residents and guide local planning to make neighborhoods cooler and safer.
How similar studies have performed: Past research shows green space can cool neighborhoods and lower some heat harms, but linking 3‑D green infrastructure with older adults' physiology and social pathways is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
College Station, United States
- Texas A&m University — College Station, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, Dongying — Texas A&m University
- Study coordinator: Li, Dongying
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.