# The role of vulnerability and adaptation on the effects of co-occurring heat, air pollution, and wildfire on heart failure hospitalizations

> **NIH NIH P20** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · 2024 · $752,288

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY (RESEARCH PROJECT 1: THE ROLE OF VULNERABILITY AND ADAPTATION ON
THE EFFECTS OF CO-OCCURRING HEAT, AIR POLLUTION, AND WILDFIRE ON HEART FAILURE
HOSPITALIZATIONS)
To protect human health in the changing climate, research is urgently needed to understand adaptation and
mitigation efforts impact on public health while protecting the most vulnerable and ensuring health equity. The
climate-related hazards of high heat and high fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5), related to wildfire (WF-
PM2.5), are increasingly occurring at the same time in California and other regions adversely affecting human
health. Heart failure (HF) as a proposed sentinel climate change and health outcome exposes vulnerable
individuals to heat and PM2.5 health effects due to heightened susceptibility. The research objective is to elucidate
the joint effect of high heat, PM2.5, and WF-PM2.5 on HF hospitalizations and readmissions then evaluate how
these effects may differ by vulnerability factors and adaptation strategies to inform solution-oriented policies and
interventions. An electronic medical record (EMR) enriched with patient neighborhood characterization and state
administrative hospitalization data are used to estimate the effect of co-exposure to heat and (WF-)PM2.5 on HF
hospitalizations (Aim 1). Longitudinal EMR data will allow 30-day readmissions examination as a secondary
outcome. Individual (e.g., age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status) and neighborhood characteristics (e.g.,
sociodemographics, social vulnerability index, climate vulnerability index) and power outages are assessed to
understand if they modify heat- and PM2.5-effects (Aim 2). Possible adaptation strategies aimed at either the
community (cooling centers/public spaces, community pools, greenspace) or individual level (air conditioning)
are examined to observe how adaptive policies might change heat- and PM2.5-effects (Aim 3). These results will
inform future action-oriented policies, programs, and targeted interventions to mitigate climate change health
effects, especially among the most vulnerable. Research Project 1 will contribute to the University of Southern
California’s (USC) CLIMAte-Related Exposures, Adaptation, and Health Equity (CLIMA) Center’s capacity
building efforts to engage a scientifically diverse research team in conducting and developing approaches for
impactful transdisciplinary climate health research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10980384
- **Project number:** 1P20HL176204-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Erika Garcia
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $752,288
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-17 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10980384

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10980384, The role of vulnerability and adaptation on the effects of co-occurring heat, air pollution, and wildfire on heart failure hospitalizations (1P20HL176204-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10980384. Licensed CC0.

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