Exploring neighborhood racial and socioeconomic heterogeneity in the short-term effects of air pollution and extreme heat on medical emergencies
Introduction: As climate change continues to affect society, understanding how adverse climatic conditions impact different communities differently is essential to equitable climate change mitigation. While research has identified the potential for climate change to impact public health in terms of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | The Journal of Climate Change and Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667278225000045 |
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| author | Karl Vachuska |
| author_facet | Karl Vachuska |
| author_sort | Karl Vachuska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: As climate change continues to affect society, understanding how adverse climatic conditions impact different communities differently is essential to equitable climate change mitigation. While research has identified the potential for climate change to impact public health in terms of air quality and extreme heat, less research has explored inequality regarding how these events impact public health. This paper explores inequality in the effects of climatic events on short-term health based on air pollution and severe heat. Methods: Using two-way fixed-effects models, racial and socioeconomic heterogeneity in the effects of air pollution and extreme heat on the incidence of medical emergencies are examined. Results: Results suggest that poor air quality predominantly affects the incidence of medical emergencies in poor, non-White neighborhoods and has minimal effects in affluent White neighborhoods. Neighborhoods with more impoverished residents experience more medical emergencies on days with extreme heat. Conclusion: Overall, the results suggest that extreme heat has substantial effects on medical emergencies, but there is little racial heterogeneity in these effects. Notably, the results provide little evidence of an interaction effect between poor air quality and extreme heat. The results show the need for climate change mitigation strategies that are equitable for all communities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e65544fa863e4e1ebe2d34aec47fc0ef |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2667-2782 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Journal of Climate Change and Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-e65544fa863e4e1ebe2d34aec47fc0ef2025-08-20T02:56:10ZengElsevierThe Journal of Climate Change and Health2667-27822025-03-012210041410.1016/j.joclim.2025.100414Exploring neighborhood racial and socioeconomic heterogeneity in the short-term effects of air pollution and extreme heat on medical emergenciesKarl Vachuska0University of Wisconsin-Madison, United StatesIntroduction: As climate change continues to affect society, understanding how adverse climatic conditions impact different communities differently is essential to equitable climate change mitigation. While research has identified the potential for climate change to impact public health in terms of air quality and extreme heat, less research has explored inequality regarding how these events impact public health. This paper explores inequality in the effects of climatic events on short-term health based on air pollution and severe heat. Methods: Using two-way fixed-effects models, racial and socioeconomic heterogeneity in the effects of air pollution and extreme heat on the incidence of medical emergencies are examined. Results: Results suggest that poor air quality predominantly affects the incidence of medical emergencies in poor, non-White neighborhoods and has minimal effects in affluent White neighborhoods. Neighborhoods with more impoverished residents experience more medical emergencies on days with extreme heat. Conclusion: Overall, the results suggest that extreme heat has substantial effects on medical emergencies, but there is little racial heterogeneity in these effects. Notably, the results provide little evidence of an interaction effect between poor air quality and extreme heat. The results show the need for climate change mitigation strategies that are equitable for all communities.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667278225000045Climate changeAir pollutionExtreme heatHealth inequalityNeighborhoods |
| spellingShingle | Karl Vachuska Exploring neighborhood racial and socioeconomic heterogeneity in the short-term effects of air pollution and extreme heat on medical emergencies The Journal of Climate Change and Health Climate change Air pollution Extreme heat Health inequality Neighborhoods |
| title | Exploring neighborhood racial and socioeconomic heterogeneity in the short-term effects of air pollution and extreme heat on medical emergencies |
| title_full | Exploring neighborhood racial and socioeconomic heterogeneity in the short-term effects of air pollution and extreme heat on medical emergencies |
| title_fullStr | Exploring neighborhood racial and socioeconomic heterogeneity in the short-term effects of air pollution and extreme heat on medical emergencies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring neighborhood racial and socioeconomic heterogeneity in the short-term effects of air pollution and extreme heat on medical emergencies |
| title_short | Exploring neighborhood racial and socioeconomic heterogeneity in the short-term effects of air pollution and extreme heat on medical emergencies |
| title_sort | exploring neighborhood racial and socioeconomic heterogeneity in the short term effects of air pollution and extreme heat on medical emergencies |
| topic | Climate change Air pollution Extreme heat Health inequality Neighborhoods |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667278225000045 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT karlvachuska exploringneighborhoodracialandsocioeconomicheterogeneityintheshorttermeffectsofairpollutionandextremeheatonmedicalemergencies |