Extreme Heat, Social Factors, and Mortality Among California Veterans With Cardiometabolic Disease

Are extreme heat events (EHEs) associated with increased risk of mortality among California veterans with cardiometabolic disease?In this time-stratified case-crossover study of 13 556 US veterans, EHEs were significantly associated with increased risk of mortality for same-day EHEs at the 95th percentile of historical mean temperatures. Veterans residing in lower socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods and veterans experiencing homelessness had increased risk of mortality compared with those living in higher SES neighborhoods and housed veterans, respectively, although these differences were not statistically significant.This study suggests that the Veterans Health Administration should consider the increasing threat of EHEs for veteran communities at highest risk.

Corresponding Author: Evan Michael Shannon, MD, MPH, Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, 1100 Glendon Ave, Ste 850, Room 812, Los Angeles, CA 90024 (emshannon@mednet.ucla.edu).

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