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Increases in average climate temperature may directly affect human health. More excessive heat waves during the summer and less extreme cold spells during the winter may occur due to these increases. Unfortunately, excessive heat events (EHEs) are and will continue to be a fact of life. Because of the increased number of daily deaths as well as other nonfatal adverse health outcomes caused by excessive heat, these events are a danger to public health. However, future health impacts of EHEs could be reduced with the ability to accurately forecast these events, as well as the with the knowledge of effective, low cost responses (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2007).
Conditions caused by EHEs can increase the mortality and morbidity incidence in affected populations. Certain specific high-risk groups typically experience a larger number of health impacts by EHE conditions than the general population. The physical, social, and economic factors, and the specific actions that make certain groups of the population at high risk include:- Older persons (age >65)
- Infants (age <1)
- The homeless
- The poor
- People who are socially isolated
- People with mobility restrictions or mental impairments
- People taking certain medications (e.g., for high blood pressure, depression, insomnia)
- People engaged in vigorous outdoor exercise or work, or those under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Public health officials can develop and implement response actions and relief efforts for those at greatest risk by identifying these high risk groups. A vast majority of EHE health outcomes are preventable, despite the history of adverse health impacts. Increasing the awareness of public health officials, as well as the general public about the health risks of EHEs can lessen the number of EHE related adverse health outcomes that occur in the future (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2007).
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