A Comprehensive Evaluation of the Burden of Heat-Related Illness and Death within the Florida Population.

Laurel Harduar Morano,Kristina Kintziger,Sharon Watkins

doi:10.3390/ijerph13060551

Abstract

The failure of the human body to thermoregulate can lead to severe outcomes (e.g., death) and lasting physiological damage. However, heat-related illness (HRI) is highly preventable via individual- and community-level modification. A thorough understanding of the burden is necessary for effective intervention. This paper describes the burden of severe HRI morbidity and mortality among residents of a humid subtropical climate. Work-related and non-work-related HRI emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and deaths among Florida residents during May to October (2005–2012) were examined. Sub-groups susceptible to HRI were identified. The age-adjusted rates/100,000 person-years for non-work-related HRI were 33.1 ED visits, 5.9 hospitalizations, and 0.2 deaths, while for work-related HRI/100,000 worker-years there were 8.5 ED visits, 1.1 hospitalizations, and 0.1 deaths. The rates of HRI varied by county, data source, and work-related status, with the highest rates observed in the panhandle and south central Florida. The sub-groups with the highest relative rates regardless of data source or work-relatedness were males, minorities, and rural residents. Those aged 15–35 years had the highest ED visit rates, while for non-work-related hospitalizations and deaths the rates increased with age. The results of this study can be used for targeted interventions and evaluating changes in the HRI burden over time.

Highlights

The term heat-related illness (HRI) captures a continuum of disorders that occur as the human body absorbs and creates more heat than can be dissipated [1,2,3]
The purpose of this paper is to describe the burden of severe HRI morbidity and mortality among Florida residents during the warm season
The lowest rates of HRI morbidity were observed in southern Florida counties, while the highest rates of HRI morbidity were observed in counties in the panhandle, or in the northern part of the state

Summary

Introduction

The term heat-related illness (HRI) captures a continuum of disorders that occur as the human body absorbs and creates more heat than can be dissipated [1,2,3]. As HRI progresses, single and multi-system failure occurs [4]. Medical intervention can prevent mild cases of HRI, such as heat edema, from becoming severe (e.g., heat stroke) and potentially resulting in death. Even with medical intervention, severe HRI may have lasting effects, including neurological and organ damage and decreased heat tolerance, making an individual more susceptible to another HRI event [5,6,7]. HRI is highly preventable through individual- and community-level behavioral and structural modifications. Sports officials may hold outdoor events in the early morning or evening and employers may change the work/rest cycle to allow their employees

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