Air conditioning and energy support for older adults in Boston

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This randomized stepped-wedge trial enrolls 100 adults aged 55–95 living in high-risk Boston neighborhoods who lack home air conditioning and have chronic health conditions or a recent hospitalization. Participants are randomized 1:1 to receive window AC units and cooling support in Year 1 or Year 2, and all participants receive baseline heat-health education and cooling kits. Data collection includes surveys, real-time indoor environmental monitoring, and AC usage tracking across two warm seasons to measure heat stress, heat strain, mental health, adaptive behaviors, and healthcare utilization. In the second summer, the year-two group also receives an electricity subsidy, enabling comparison of the effect of subsidizing operating costs on AC use and health outcomes.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* reside in Roxbury, Dorchester, East Boston or Mattapan MA
* age 55-95 years old
* speak English or Spanish
* do not have air conditioning in the home
* living with at least one of the following conditions: chronic CVD (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, history of stroke or myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, or heart failure), chronic pulmonary disease (asthma, COPD/emphysema, interstitial lung disease), chronic neurologic disease (stroke, Parkinson's disease, or other chronic neurologic conditions), chronic mental health conditions (including anxiety disorder, major depression, bipolar disorder), and/or history of hospitalization (defined as spending at least one night in the hospital) for any reason within the past three years.

Exclusion Criteria:

\- Lack a location in their home suitable for installation of the AC unit provided during the research study.

Where it's running

• Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
  Boston, Massachusetts, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Gary Adamkiewicz Associate Professor of Environmental Health and Exposure Disp., PhD, MPH, MS — Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)
• Study coordinator: Caleb Dresser Assistant Professor in Environmental Health, MD MPH
• Email: beattheheatboston@gmail.com
• Phone: (617) 446-3248

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.