As global temperatures increase, so too does interest in the effect of climate change on the populationâs health. 2016 represented the hottest year on record globally and well above the 20th century average in Virginia. With large-scale climate change comes an increase in severe weather patterns, including heat waves. Heat waves can have immense health impacts on a community, including heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and dehydration. Previous analyses of emergency department (ED) data indicate that certain populations â specifically males and rural residents â are more at risk for heat-related illness. None of these studies, however, looked for temporal relationships between the population seeking care and the day of the week. Syndromic surveillance data can be used to further describe those communities affected by heat exposure as well as identify any temporal patterns in visits.
Objective:
To describe the differences in patient populations between those who seek care for heat exposure during the work week and those who seek care during the weekend.