# Climate & Health Actionable Research and Translation Center

> **NIH NIH P20** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $1,158,349

## Abstract

CHART: RESEARCH PROJECT – SUMMARY
High ambient temperature is a well-recognized environmental hazard to human health. The overarching goal
of this project is to examine factors related to physiologic susceptibility and factors along exposure pathways
that may lead to disparities in heat-related illnesses. The project also aims to map features within multiple
social determinants of health (SODH) domains that can alter an individual’s ability to mitigate heat exposure to
help identify actionable intervention strategies. Aim 1 will quantify disparities in associations between heat and
emergency department (ED) visits in Atlanta, GA during the period 2013 to 2021. ED visit is an important and
understudied heat-related morbidity outcome. We will compile a database of geocoded electronic medical
records from the Grady Memorial Hospital and four hospitals within Emory Healthcare. We will assess patient-
level effect modifiers (e.g., age, sex, homelessness, insurance status, co-morbid conditions, and home
medication), and modifiers that are related to the residential built environment (e.g., building type, building year
and green space). Aim 2 will conduct a matched case-control study of 400 participants from Grady and Emory
hospitals to examine risk factors for heat-related ED visits that are not captured through medical records, such
as how and why exposure occurred. We will develop a survey tool and structured interview to assess
demographic, physiological/health status, neighborhood and individual SDOH, and knowledge, attitudes, and
practices around factors hypothesized to impact susceptibility and exposure to heat. Qualitative analysis will be
used to contextualize and understand the exposure pathways and challenges experienced among the cases
leading to their presentation at the ED. To address knowledge gaps in the understanding of heat exposures,
Aim 3 will characterize temperature exposure for 120 individuals living in under-resourced communities by
conducting 48-hour continuous monitoring of personal, indoor and outdoor exposure to temperature, humidity
and air quality. We will characterize absolute differences between personal, indoor, and outdoor temperatures,
as well as identify demographic, behavioral, socioeconomic, time-activity-location, and built environment
factors contributing to these differences in exposures. We will disseminate findings and monitoring results back
to participants. In all Aims, we will engage with community partners to determine additional salient risk factors,
develop surveys and interviews, and identify participants for recruitment. Overall, the project will provide timely
knowledge on the adverse health effects of heat in an urban setting with a focus on under-resourced
communities. The proposed research project is highly aligned with the Center’s theme of assessing how
climate change threatens the health of urban communities. Moreover, the project’s findings, data, and
infrastructure will provide opportunities fo...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10835462
- **Project number:** 1P20ES036110-01
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Howard H Chang
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $1,158,349
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-09-26 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10835462

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10835462, Climate & Health Actionable Research and Translation Center (1P20ES036110-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10835462. Licensed CC0.

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