Grantee Research Project Results

2016 Progress Report: Indoor Environment and Emergency Response Health Outcomes

EPA Grant Number: R835749
Title: Indoor Environment and Emergency Response Health Outcomes
Investigators: Uejio, Christopher K , Tamerius, James D
Institution: Florida State University , University of Iowa
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: May 1, 2015 through April 30, 2018 (Extended to April 30, 2020)
Project Period Covered by this Report: May 1, 2016 through April 30,2017
Project Amount: $500,000
RFA: Indoor Air and Climate Change (2014) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , Climate Change , Air

Objective:

The objectives of this study are 1) to quantify the relationship between indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity and the built environment; 2) find actionable thresholds linking indoor temperature, humidity, and the built environment to extreme heat (summer) and influenza like illness (winter) distress calls; 3) project future extreme heat disease burdens or influenza risk related to climatic, demographic, and built environment changes.

Progress Summary:

There is limited evidence directly linking indoor heat exposure to health outcomes. By partnering with Emergency Medical Services, our first publication (Uejio et al. 2016) observed indoor conditions of people receiving emergency care. The results suggest people may suffer from hot indoor environments even during “moderate” summer periods.

The second publication (Tamerius et al. 2017) is the first study to estimate temperature and humidity conditions during tropical influenza transmission in a real-world environment. We showed evidence of influenza transmission in extreme temperature and humidity conditions. For example, during one transmission period temperatures exceeded 39 ºC, and specific and relative humidity reached 22 g/kg and 85%, respectively.

The third publication (Jung and Uejio 2017) is the first study how people use social media to discuss extreme heat and air conditioning. In Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta, people talked about extreme heat and air conditioning more during hotter compared to cooler than normal periods.

Future Activities:

We are currently applying quality control and assurance procedures to the primary data. We will continue data analysis and manuscript writing into Fall/Winter 2017 and 2018. We will start to present preliminary results in 2018.

Journal Articles on this Report : 3 Displayed | Download in RIS Format

Publications Views
Other project views:	All 13 publications	7 publications in selected types	All 7 journal articles

Publications
Type	Citation	Project	Document Sources
Journal Article	Jung J, Uejio CK. Social media responses to heat waves. International Journal of Biometeorology 2017;61(7):1247-1260.	R835749 (2016) R835749 (2017) R835749 (2018)	Abstract from PubMed Full-text: Springer - Full Text HTML Exit Other: Springer - Full Text PDF Exit
Journal Article	Tamerius J, Ojeda S, Uejio CK, Shaman J, Lopez B, Sanchez N, Gordon A. Influenza transmission during extreme indoor conditions in a low-resource tropical setting. International Journal of Biometeorology 2017;61(4):613-622.	R835749 (2016) R835749 (2017) R835749 (2018)	Abstract from PubMed Abstract: Springer-Abstract Exit
Journal Article	Uejio CK, Tamerius JD, Vredenburg J, Asaeda G, Isaacs DA, Braun J, Quinn A, Freese JP. Summer indoor heat exposure and respiratory and cardiovascular distress calls in New York City, NY, US. Indoor Air 2016; 26(4):594-604.	R835749 (2016)	Full-text from PubMed Abstract from PubMed Associated PubMed link Full-text: Wiley Full Text HTML Exit Abstract: Wiley-Abstract Exit

Supplemental Keywords:

air, ambient air, indoor air, exposure, health effects, human health, vulnerability, sensitive populations, elderly, age, race, viruses, epidemiology, climatology, modeling, monitoring, analytical, climate models, Northeast, Southeast

Relevant Websites:

CHRISTOPHER UEJIO Exit

http://www.jamestamerius.com/ Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.