Heat-related Deaths

HealthClimate
Written By Alysha Rashid

Heat-related deaths have more than doubled in 4 years, reaching at least 2,160 deaths in 2023. Heat-related death rates are highest among American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Heat-related deaths, U.S.

1999-2023

Source: CDC, Wonder. Notes: 2022 and 2023 data are provisional (p). Includes deaths for which heat was listed as either the underlying or contributing cause of death. Due to an inherent delay in the reporting of official heat fatalities, the 2023 number will likely rise in subsequent updates. AN=Alaska Native. Deaths are identified using ICD–10 underlying/contributing cause-of-death codes: P81.0, T67, and X30. Rates are age-adjusted.

Heat-related deaths have increased in recent years, becoming the primary cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S.1 2023 was the hottest year on record and saw record high heat-related deaths (Extreme Heat Days). According to 2023 provisional data, over 2,100 Americans died from heat-related causes. Since 2018, American Indians and Alaska Natives were most likely to die from heat, and again had the highest rate of heat-related deaths according to 2023 provisional data– 2.3 heat-related deaths per 100,000 population. Black and Hispanic people died at higher rates compared to white and Asian people.

Disproportionate mortality rates are a result of underlying inequities. Due to historical redlining and zoning, people of color and low income families are more likely to live in areas with fewer trees and more pavement, creating “heat islands,” exacerbating medical conditions like hypertension and heart disease, and increasing the risk of heat-related deaths.2,[3],[4],[5]

Older adults, infants and children, pregnant people, people with low incomes, and outdoor workers are among the most vulnerable to extreme heat exposure.[6],[7] While air conditioning is critical for keeping vulnerable people safe during extreme heat days, concern around affordability, blackouts, and power outages are high, as record numbers of intense heat days increase air conditioning demands (Electric Power Interruptions).[8],[9],[10] The Inflation Reduction Act includes substantial funding that can be used for home weatherization that reduces the cost of air conditioning, but only via tax credits for homeowners, leaving many vulnerable people without aid.[11]

  1. Weather Related Fatality and Injury Statistics. (n.d.-a). NOAA; U.S. Department of Commerce. https://www.weather.gov/hazstat/

  2. Hsu, A., Sheriff, G., Chakraborty, T., & Manya, D. (2021). Disproportionate exposure to urban heat island intensity across major US cities. Nature Communications, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22799-5

  3. McDonald, R. I., Biswas, T., Sachar, C., Housman, I., Boucher, T. M., Balk, D., Nowak, D., Spotswood, E., Stanley, C. K., & Leyk, S. (2021). The tree cover and temperature disparity in US urbanized areas: Quantifying the association with income across 5,723 communities. PLoS ONE, 16(4), e0249715. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0249715

  4. Mujahid, M. S., Gao, X., Tabb, L. P., Morris, C., & Lewis, T. T. (2021). Historical redlining and cardiovascular health: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(51), e2110986118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2110986118

  5. Khatana, A. M., Eberly, L. A., Nathan, A. S., & Groeneveld, P. W. (2023). Projected Change in the Burden of Excess Cardiovascular Deaths Associated With Extreme Heat by Midcentury (2036–2065) in the Contiguous United States. Circulation, 148(20), 1559–1569. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.123.066017

  6. Protecting Vulnerable Groups from Extreme Heat. (2019). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/specificgroups.html

  7. CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOCIAL VULNERABILITY IN THE UNITED STATES A Focus on Six Impacts. (2021). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-09/climate-vulnerability_september-2021_508.pdf

  8. Halpert, M. (2023, July 28). US heatwave: Scorching heat strains US air conditioning capacity. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66343133

  9. Bedayn, J. (2023, July 30). Record heat waves illuminate plight of poorest Americans who suffer without air conditioning. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/heat-wave-low-income-race-death-air-conditioning-f897e336d6d99ee2a53024f42ad7b8b5

  10. Leber, R. (2022, August 3). The US could stop one cause of heat wave deaths tomorrow. Vox. https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/23274788/heat-wave-ac-energy-bill-utilities

  11. Mann, R., & Schuetz, J. (2022, October 10). The U.S. needs better, more accessible home weatherization programs. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-u-s-needs-better-more-accessible-home-weatherization-programs/

Alysha Rashid
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