Deaths related to heat across US double over past 25 years
(MENAFN) A new study has highlighted a troubling increase in heat-related deaths across the United States, with mortality rates more than doubling over the past 25 years. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Monday, the research analyzed death records from 1999 to 2023 where extreme heat was identified as either the primary or contributing cause of death. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heat-related deaths surged from 1,069 in 1999 to 2,325 in 2023, marking a 117 percent increase. The study noted that 2004 saw the lowest number of heat-related deaths at 311, while 2023 experienced the highest toll.
Researchers from the University of Texas at San Antonio, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and Pennsylvania State University observed a particularly sharp rise in the past seven years. This recent increase aligns with record-setting global temperatures and worsening impacts of climate change. The study documented an annual increase of 16.8 percent in the age-adjusted mortality rate from 2016 to 2023, reversing a previously declining trend in heat-related deaths.
The study's findings are consistent with global research indicating that rising temperatures, driven by climate change, are becoming increasingly lethal. In 2023, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported the warmest average global temperatures since record-keeping began in 1850. Heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke occur when the body fails to cool itself effectively, leading to severe damage to vital organs, as noted by the CDC.
The study underscores the need for urgent intervention to address this growing public health crisis. The researchers recommend that local authorities in high-risk areas enhance access to hydration centers and public cooling facilities to help mitigate the effects of rising temperatures. However, they also acknowledged limitations in their research, including the potential for misclassification of causes of death and increasing awareness of heat-related deaths, which may impact the accuracy of mortality estimates.
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