Overexposed and Understudied: Environmental Risks Among Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness in Phoenix, Arizona.

ABSTRACT: Individuals experiencing homelessness are highly vulnerable to urban environmental hazards, such as heat and air pollution, due to a lack of stable housing and limited access to indoor or cooled spaces. These risks are heightened for older adults and individuals with preexisting health conditions. With intensifying summer heat in the American Southwest and the persistence of urban homelessness, this study explores how older adults experiencing homelessness in Phoenix, Arizona perceive and interact with heat and air pollution as well as the adequacy of available coping resources and information. A survey was co-produced with community members with lived experience. A sub-group of community members assisted in proctoring the surveys among adults 55 and older at a downtown service agency. Sur

SUBMITTER: Van Tol Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12067049 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature