Faculty mentor/PI email address
whelihan@rowan.edu
Keywords
Heat Islands, Socioeconomic Inequality, Health Disparities, Urban Heat, Climate Change, Environmental Justice
Date of Presentation
5-6-2026 12:00 AM
Poster Abstract
Background: As ambient temperature rises, regions experiencing extreme heat face serious health concerns. This disproportionately affects lower socioeconomic status (SES) individuals in urban areas. This review examines how these “heat islands” affect the health outcomes for those in different socioeconomic statuses.
Methods: The databases used were PubMed, Embase, and Medline, and were searched with keywords such as “heat islands”, “social inequality”, “SES”, and “health outcomes”. After compiling, articles were screened using the inclusion criteria of ages, gender, peer-reviewed and English-written publications, from any location, social determinants as a primary outcome, and directly compared heat with social determinants of health. Articles were excluded if they were greater than 10 years old and did not focus on an urban population.
Results: 18 studies were included and were compared to each other to synthesize relevant health outcomes. Inequality in heat distribution revealed heat vulnerable locations correspond to lower SES. Chronic disease exacerbation as a health outcome revealed elevated mortality rates and hospital admissions due to heat-induced illnesses in lower SES individuals. Emergency medical service usage was disproportionately higher among low-income people. Suicide rates increased in lower SES people. Occupational heat exposure had more instances of heatstroke and dehydration among lower-income individuals. Lower rates of education were associated with higher rates of infection and mortality.
Discussion: These health outcomes display the danger for an already vulnerable population. Policymakers must work to improve the quality of life of these people. Future research should focus on lowering mortality and morbidity rates in lower SES populations.
Disciplines
Environmental Public Health | Medicine and Health Sciences
Included in
Health Outcomes in Heat-Intense Areas in Response to Socioeconomic Status
Background: As ambient temperature rises, regions experiencing extreme heat face serious health concerns. This disproportionately affects lower socioeconomic status (SES) individuals in urban areas. This review examines how these “heat islands” affect the health outcomes for those in different socioeconomic statuses.
Methods: The databases used were PubMed, Embase, and Medline, and were searched with keywords such as “heat islands”, “social inequality”, “SES”, and “health outcomes”. After compiling, articles were screened using the inclusion criteria of ages, gender, peer-reviewed and English-written publications, from any location, social determinants as a primary outcome, and directly compared heat with social determinants of health. Articles were excluded if they were greater than 10 years old and did not focus on an urban population.
Results: 18 studies were included and were compared to each other to synthesize relevant health outcomes. Inequality in heat distribution revealed heat vulnerable locations correspond to lower SES. Chronic disease exacerbation as a health outcome revealed elevated mortality rates and hospital admissions due to heat-induced illnesses in lower SES individuals. Emergency medical service usage was disproportionately higher among low-income people. Suicide rates increased in lower SES people. Occupational heat exposure had more instances of heatstroke and dehydration among lower-income individuals. Lower rates of education were associated with higher rates of infection and mortality.
Discussion: These health outcomes display the danger for an already vulnerable population. Policymakers must work to improve the quality of life of these people. Future research should focus on lowering mortality and morbidity rates in lower SES populations.