The Impact of Social Vulnerability and Environmental Risk Factors on Heat Stress Hospitalizations in New York City

This research in climatology and the social sciences seeks to explore a temperature methodology useful in understanding factors associated with heat stress vulnerability. Heat waves are predicted to increase in frequency and severity. Public health is adversely impacted increasing heat vulnerability that could lead to things like heat stroke or other comorbidities. This research generates a new model that seeks to answer the following research question:

How do social vulnerability and environmental risk factors impact heat stress hospitalizations in New York City?

This fundamental research question is answered by the creation of a new spatial regression model called the Heat Exposure Compounded (HEC) technique. It is a spatial model that identifies populations that are vulnerable to increased temperatures in New York City. The primary contribution of this model is the use of temperature derived from Landsat imagery and ambient temperature and then multiplying these variables against the social and environmental factors, to develop a methodology that could be useful for public health research.