Grantee Research Project Results

Final 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 Amount: $500,000
RFA: Indoor Air and Climate Change (2014) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air , Climate Change

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 health risk related to climatic, demographic, and built environment changes.

Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):

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) studies 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.

The fourth study (Uejio et al. 2018) investigated the heat exposure of workers who work outdoors or indoor locations without air conditioning.  The study found that everyday heat exposures continuously challenge the health of outdoor worker.  Many participants experienced hotter and more humid conditions than the local weather station.

The fifth manuscript (Tamerius et al. 2019) is the nation’s first systematic study of influenza seasonality. Using novel real time influenza tests, we could definitively identify the most common times when you could contract flu.  Interestingly, the flu transmission seasons were different in the southeastern U.S. and Hawaii compared to the rest of the nation.

Journal Articles on this Report : 1 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	Uejhio C, Joiner A, Gonsoroski E, Tamerius J, Jung J, Moran T, Yancey A. The association of indoor heat exposure with diabetes and respiratory 9-1-1 calls through emergency medical dispatch and services documentation. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022;212.	R835749 (Final)	Abstract from PubMed Full-text: ScienceDirect - Full Text HTML Exit Other: ScienceDirect - Full Text PDF Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

2015 Progress Report

2016 Progress Report

2017 Progress Report

2018 Progress Report