Facilitators and Barriers for Keeping Cool in an Urban Heat Island: Perspectives from Residents of an Environmental Justice Community.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Extreme heat is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality during summer months in the United States. Risk of heat exposure and associated health outcomes are disproportionately experienced by people with lower incomes, people of color, and/or immigrant populations.

Methods

As qualitative research on the experiences of residents in heat islands is limited, this community-based study examined barriers and coping strategies for keeping cool among residents of Chelsea and East Boston, Massachusetts-environmental justice (EJ) areas that experience the urban heat island effect-through semistructured interviews and qualitative content analysis.

Results

Results indicate that all participants (n = 12) had air conditioning, but high energy bills contributed t

SUBMITTER: McIntyre AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10704574 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature