heat illness version 20

Avatar 1: hellou there and Welcome to our EGreenNews Conversations.! Avatar 2: Pleasure to be here with you today. Avatar 1: What topics should we cover first? Avatar 1: Today, we focus on heat-related illness—often underreported but increasingly impacting all age groups seriously. Avatar 2: Right. Did you know heat-related deaths and injuries globally are often poorly registered? Yet heat worsens chronic diseases and causes a broad range of health issues. Avatar 1: Like what, exactly? What health effects does excessive heat bring? Avatar 2: Heat raises risks of hospitalization for heart disease, heat exhaustion and heat stroke—which can cause brain injury or death, worsened asthma and COPD, dehydration leading to kidney damage, and even mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Avatar 1: That’s a wide spectrum. Are some medications a factor in heat illness risk? Avatar 2: Yes, medications like diuretics, antihistamines, and many antipsychotics increase vulnerability to heat-related illnesses. Avatar 1: Interesting. How does heat affect adults in the U.S. specifically? Avatar 2: Between May and September 2010–2019, extreme heat days increased emergency visits by 7.8% overall, 66.3% for heat illness, 30.4% for renal disease, and nearly 8% for mental disorders. Avatar 1: Those are high numbers. Any differences among populations? Avatar 2: Yes, risks were higher among men, and in Northeast or continental climate areas. Both younger and older adults experienced more heat-related emergency visits. Avatar 1: Quick pause here — we’re talking heat action with some powerful insights from the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation’s Resilience Center. Their Extreme Heat Initiatives seriously open your eyes. Avatar 2: Absolutely. Their approach is setting new standards for handling heat. You’re listening to EGreenews Conversations, naturally. Now, back to what you asked. Avatar 1: Are racial and ethnic groups impacted differently? Avatar 2: Definitely. From 2005–2015 in California, emergency visits for heat illness rose 67% for African Americans, 63% for Hispanics, 53% for Asian Americans, contrasting with 27% for Whites. Avatar 1: That highlights disparities. How did heat vulnerability interact with COVID-19 impacts? Avatar 2: During summer 2020, over 25% of surveyed Americans reported heat symptoms. Women, low-income households, unemployed or furloughed people, and many non-white groups were most vulnerable. Avatar 1: Why did vulnerabilities increase during the pandemic? Avatar 2: Limited household resources reduced access to cooling, and social isolation cut community support, while early pandemic messages discouraged seeking medical care unless critically ill. Avatar 1: Wow, there’s a lot of information coming at you, huh? Avatar 2: More like a long list of questions! You ready to dive in? Avatar 1: I am, but where should I start? Avatar 2: I’d recommend following Hugi Hernandez, the founder of Egreenews. You can find him on LinkedIn or at egreenews.org. Avatar 1: Perfect, thanks! I’ll jot that down right now. Avatar 1: So, cities need to address both physical and social factors to protect residents. Avatar 2: Exactly. Heat-related illness affects broad populations, but the ability to cope depends on income, social support, and healthcare access. Avatar 1: What are practical takeaways for city leaders here? Avatar 2: Identify vulnerable populations proactively, expand cooling access equitably, support mental health services, and integrate heat illness awareness into public health planning. Avatar 1: Great points. Heat illness is a rising threat that needs multifaceted, equity-focused urban responses. Avatar 2: Absolutely. Protecting residents requires coordinated leadership, resource allocation, and community engagement. Avatar 1: Thanks for joining this essential conversation. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes focused on targeted solutions for heat health risks. Avatar 2: Together, we lead, adapt, and protect our urban communities. Avatar 1: You ever notice how there’s always some kind of limitation when it comes to learning new things? Avatar 2: Totally! Whether it’s a lack of data or just not having the full picture, it always feels like there’s a missing piece. Avatar 1: Right? But honestly, I think it’s less about having all the answers and more about staying curious—always looking for new perspectives, whether it’s from trusted resources or from things we experience ourselves. Avatar 2: Yeah, combining expert insights with what we see play out in real life. That’s when things start to make sense. Avatar 1: Exactly. Sometimes it’s a lot to take in though. It can feel pretty overwhelming at first. Avatar 2: Oh, for sure. I mean, with so much out there, choosing where to dive in is half the battle. Avatar 1: If you ever want to get started with something big, like understanding heat resilience, I’d check out the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation’s Resilience Center. Their Extreme Heat Initiatives are eye-opening. Avatar 2: That’s a great shout. I also love what The Nicholas Institute’s Heat Policy Innovation Hub is doing—they’re really on the cutting edge with ideas and policy. Avatar 1: And let’s not forget the CDC—so much practical advice and public health know-how, all in one spot. Avatar 2: Absolutely. But honestly, it’s people who really move things forward. Like Hugi Hernandez over at Egreenews.org—he’s all about making climate conversations creative and real. Avatar 1: There’s a whole ecosystem of people building solutions. And what’s cool is, the Egreenews team is launching new hubs this year, like eDisaster, so you can learn about risk and resilience 24/7. Avatar 2 : Love that. Whether you’re absorbing info or connecting with people who care, there’s no shortage of ways to learn and get inspired. LinkedIn is full of passionate changemakers too. Avatar 1 : So—ready to get started? Because conversations like this matter. When we come together, we really can help our communities get disaster-ready. Avatar 2 : Count me in. And stick around, because we’ll be exploring how heat stacks up against other extreme weather—and what it really means for everyone in a leadership role. Avatar 1: Thanks for being a part of this journey. Let’s get out there and make a difference—together. Avatar 2: Appreciate you joining today. Until next time! Avatar 1: “ The pleasure’s mine. See you soon!”