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Using Near Real-Time Morbidity Data to Identify Heat-Related Illness Prevention Strategies in North Carolina

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Abstract

Timely public health interventions reduce heat-related illnesses (HRIs). HRI emergency department (ED) visit data provide near real-time morbidity information to local and state public health practitioners and may be useful in directing HRI prevention efforts. This study examined statewide HRI ED visits in North Carolina (NC) from 2008–2010 by age group, month, ED disposition, chief complaint, and triage notes. The mean number of HRI ED visits per day was compared to the maximum daily temperature. The percentage of HRI ED visits to all ED visits was highest in June (0.25%). 15–18 year-olds had the highest percentage of HRI visits and were often seen for sports-related heat exposures. Work-related HRI ED visits were more common than other causes in 19–45 year-olds. Individuals ≥65 years were more likely admitted to the hospital than younger individuals. The mean daily number of HRI ED visits increased by 1.4 for each 1°F (degree Fahrenheit) increase from 90°F to 98°F and by 15.8 for each 1°F increase from 98°F to 100°F. Results indicate that HRI prevention efforts in NC should be emphasized in early summer and targeted to adolescents involved in organized sports, young adults with outdoor occupations, and seniors. At a maximum daily temperature of 98°F, there was a substantial increase in the average daily number of HRI ED visits. ED visit data provide timely, sentinel HRI information. Analysis of this near real-time morbidity data may assist local and state public health practitioners in identification of HRI prevention strategies that are especially relevant to their jurisdictions.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Southeast Regional Climate Center for providing temperature data; Christopher Fuhrmann for expert advice and review of the manuscript; and Rachel Janke for assistance with figure formatting. We would also like to acknowledge the NC Public Health Data Group and NC DETECT for providing the emergency department visit data.

Conflicts of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of North Carolina, 100 Market Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA

    Sarah Rhea

  2. Carolina Center for Health Informatics, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Amy Ising & Anna Waller

  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and North Carolina Division of Public Health, Raleigh, NC, USA

    Aaron T. Fleischauer

  4. North Carolina Division of Public Health, Raleigh, NC, USA

    Lana Deyneka & Heather Vaughan-Batten

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  1. Sarah Rhea
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  2. Amy Ising
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  3. Aaron T. Fleischauer
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  4. Lana Deyneka
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  5. Heather Vaughan-Batten
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  6. Anna Waller
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Correspondence to Sarah Rhea.

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Rhea, S., Ising, A., Fleischauer, A.T. et al. Using Near Real-Time Morbidity Data to Identify Heat-Related Illness Prevention Strategies in North Carolina. J Community Health 37, 495–500 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-011-9469-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-011-9469-0

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