Inclusion of child-relevant data in the development and validation of heat vulnerability indices: a commentary

Abstract

Abstract The health impacts of extreme heat have been repeatedly linked to increased rates of illness and death. Research to date has documented a number of subpopulations at heightened risk during periods of extreme heat. While there is a large body of research linking heat to adverse health outcomes among adults, an emerging literature has also identified infants and young children as a heat-vulnerable population. Thus, there is an opportunity to further improve strategies and tools developed to prevent heat-related illness and death through consideration of this population. In this commentary, we examine the extent to which data that capture the vulnerability of children is incorporated into the development and validation of a specific tool: the heat vulnerability index (HVI), a tool used to map spatial patterns of heat vulnerability within urban areas. Additionally, we make recommendations for how HVIs might be expanded or targeted to capture the impact of heat on younger populations.