The Untapped Potential of Precision Health to Improve Heat Resilience for Those Who Need It Most

Additionally, heat preparedness strategies often distribute scarce resources based on neighborhood-level social determinants of health, including wealth, health care access, and race.3 However, substantial variability in the social determinants of health relevant to heat risk-such as social isolatio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of public health (1971) 2024-07, Vol.114 (7), p.682-684
Main Authors: Bernstein, Aaron S, Malits, Julia R, Wellenius, Gregory A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air conditioning
Climate change
Cooling
Correspondence
CYP2D6 protein
Cytochrome P450
Drug metabolism
Genes
Health care
Health care access
Health care industry
Health disparities
Health risks
Heat
Heat stress
Heat stroke
Heat tolerance
HVAC
Mental health services
Mustard
Neighborhoods
Public health
Resilience
Risk
Serotonin
Serotonin uptake inhibitors
Social factors
Social interactions
Social isolation
Social sciences
Temperature
Variability
Wealth
Weather forecasting
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Summary:Additionally, heat preparedness strategies often distribute scarce resources based on neighborhood-level social determinants of health, including wealth, health care access, and race.3 However, substantial variability in the social determinants of health relevant to heat risk-such as social isolation, living on the top floor of a residence, and access to air conditioning-leads to variation in heat exposure even within neighborhoods. Organisms-from mustard plants to humans-have genetically influenced responses to heat stress, and polymorphisms in several candidate genes may underlie variation in heat stroke risk.4 Variability in genes involved in drug metabolism (e.g., CYP2D6) might also explain why, for example, the use of beta blockers and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may increase the risk of hospitalization when temperatures rise 5 With more nuanced data input, heat alerts could be issued and resources deployed specifically based on the characteristics of individuals and specific populations most sensitive to heat at temperatures lower than would pose risks to the general population. [...]a targeted approach is already being used in 24 Italian cities6 REQUIRED STAKEHOLDERS AND COLLABORATORS To deliver a precision health-based heat response in the United States, health care providers and systems must serve as important allies of the public health agencies and atmospheric scientists charged with heat preparedness. Health care providers and systems likely have detailed information on heat risk and resilience factors for their patients, such as age, diagnoses, medications, occupation, and, increasingly, social determinants of health, including energy insecurity and access to air conditioning. [...]precision health has often been construed to value what can be learned from reductionist biology above qualitative and social science.
ISSN:0090-0036
1541-0048
1541-0048
DOI:10.2105/AJPH.2024.307688