The impact of heat waves on our physical and mental health.

 

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• This summer, heat waves are prevalent across many U.S. regions, including the South and Pacific Northwest.
• In reality, heat exhaustion and heat stroke are relatively uncommon.
• Days that are too hot may have an adverse effect on general bodily functions, mental health, and even cause kidney stones.
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• Medical professionals and city officials are both on high alert to prevent and lessen the negative effects that heat waves can have on our health as temperatures rise to record highs in several parts of the United States.
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• Aaron Bernstein, director of The Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and pediatrician at Boston Children's Hospital, disagrees with the widespread belief that heat exhaustion and heat stroke are the only health risks associated with extreme heat.
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• Bernstein even characterized the public's receiving more attention to these concerns as a disservice in an interview with Changing America.
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• Although heat exhaustion and heat stroke do occur, Bernstein emphasized that the ability of heat to exacerbate pre-existing illnesses is "far more relevant." Risks for people with chronic medical conditions like diabetes, COPD, or heart disease increase during times of intense heat since organs do not operate as normally during those times.
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• Bernstein continued, "As the risk of power outages frequently lurks during extreme heat, other vulnerable demographics include older people—especially those over 80," as well as pregnant women, newborns, outdoor laborers, and people who depend on technology for care. But according to Bernstein, "heat can land you in a hospital facility at any age."
• Regular organ function may be impacted by more days of high temperatures and high humidity, especially if temperatures do not drop overnight.
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• Kidney stones are more common in hotter places, according to research dating back to the 1970s, which has led physicians to refer to the area as the "stone belt," according to Gregory Tasian of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Kidney stones are more likely to form when high temperatures and high humidity are present.
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• Although a heat wave might not directly cause kidney stones, it might exacerbate the condition in people who were already at risk. Tasian stated that when you take hot weather into account, "you're probably going to have more folks who what I call tip over into the stones because they have other risk factors for it." Those who have a history of kidney stones or who have a family member with stone illness are included in this.
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• People with specific mental health conditions may also be impacted by heat. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are frequently given therapies for mental health conditions, might cause patients to perspire more, increasing the risk of dehydration. Violent crime rates have been shown to rise during heat waves.
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• America is evolving more quickly than ever! To stay up to date on the news, add "Changing America" to your Facebook or Twitter feed.
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• The frequency of mental health emergencies in hospitals may rise as a result of more days with extreme heat. According to research findings presented in a briefing by Amruta Nori-Sarma of Boston University, temperature spikes across the nation are linked to an increase in visits to emergency rooms for mental health-related reasons. Heat is an outside stressor that can aggravate both physical and mental health issues.
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• With climate change, heat waves are only going to get worse and more frequent, which will have a negative impact on both our physical and mental health.
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• According to Bernstein, a child born in the United States in 2020 will see dangerous heat waves around 35 times more frequently than a child born in the nation in the 19th century, such as the one that recently extended throughout much of the country. "Climate change and our reliance on fossil fuels are to blame for this,"
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• According to Kristie Ebi, a professor of global health at the University of Washington, heat-related mortality frequently occur after the height of heat waves and may do so up to 24 hours later. Because of this, it's critical to pay attention throughout the coming days.
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• When temperatures do not drop as much as they should during the night, it is especially problematic, according to Ebi. "Pay attention, not just on the first day. However, on days two, three, and four, we start to feel the effects of the heat buildup within the core of our bodies on our organs and on ourselves."
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• Hospital presentations for heat-related illnesses increased 69-fold during the Pacific Northwest heat dome last year. Ebi claims that since then, local government authorities in Seattle have implemented a thorough heat response plan that has been successful in warning citizens about impending heat waves and how to keep safe. To ensure that hospitals and clinics can manage an increase in heat-related cases, Ebi continued, there is still a lot more planning that needs to be done in terms of delivering services.
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• According to Bernstein, "Heat does not spare any part of our bodies." However, knowing the combination of circumstances that makes a person more vulnerable might assist guide more focused strategies to avoid hospitalizations and negative outcomes.
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• In addition to the fact that there is no standard definition of a heat wave, behavior and understanding may also play a role in how a population as a whole responds to increased temperatures. He emphasized that when identifying and safeguarding individuals who are most at danger, a number of socioeconomic variables, such as limited mobility, a lack of access to air conditioning, and social isolation, must all be taken into consideration.
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• According to Tasian, "those who work in jobs that require you to be outside are going to be the most impacted," and this goes beyond kidney stones to include other negative effects of temperature on human health.
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• It is crucial to be prepared and have resources available to deal with any potential health effects that heat waves may have before they occur.
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• Bernstein cited the National Weather Service's heat alert warnings as an example, noting an opportunity for improvement because "those alerts are being given at temperatures well above when many, if not most, of the people who are vulnerable are already sick and getting hospitalized."
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• Ebi told Changing America that outreach to at-risk groups can be a part of local government's heat action plans. These include homeless individuals, sufferers of chronic illnesses, and women who are expecting. For instance, they can make sure that local cooling centers are known to the public so that they can seek refuge when the temperature rises.
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• The T.H. Chan School of Public Health's Bernstein and colleagues are also focusing on patient-centered climate resilience.
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• People who are socially isolated or those with restricted mobility will probably not travel to cooling centers when cities open them during heat waves, highlighting once more how crucial it is to identify at-risk members of the community beforehand.