Name
Mapping Local Health Burdens of Environmental Exposures in Florida
Date & Time
Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 11:00 AM - 11:15 AM
Description

Exposure to environmental hazards can increase the risk of emergency department (ED) visits for various diseases. This project estimated individual and interactive effects of exposure to heat and air pollution on localized human health outcomes in Florida, as well as population disparities in these effects. We applied time-series generalized additive models to estimate susceptibility of heat and ozone (O3) on ED visits for all causes using daily average heat index (HI) and O3 concentration from 2000 to 2016. We quantified Heat-Response Turning Points (HRTPs) based on exposure-response relationships at the state, county, and zip code scales to understand adaptation behavior. A 1°C (1.8°F) increase in the HI was significantly associated with a 0.65% (CI: 0.61%-0.68%) increase in ED visits for all causes. The statewide exposure-response relationship between HI and ED visits was characterized by an inverted “U” curve, indicating a significant HRTP at 32.1°C (89.8°F), suggesting possible adaptations with higher HI values. Subgroup analysis by birth sex and age showed that susceptibility to heat was comparable between sexes but higher among younger people under the age of 18. Spatial analysis suggests that regions with higher susceptibility to heat, which were clustered in central, southwest and Big Bend areas of Florida, exhibited weaker adaptations. Results indicate that O3 was significantly and approximately linearly related to ED visits for all causes, with a 10 ppb increase in O3 associated with a 1.46% (CI: 1.29%-1.63%) increased risk in ED visits. The effects of O3 were significantly stronger among younger groups under 18. The interactive effects between heat and O3 on ED visits were statistically significant, with the strongest association when O3 exceeded 50 ppb and the HI was over 30°C (86°F). Our results highlight differences in vulnerability, both spatially and across subgroups, that can inform targeted interventions to reduce adverse public health outcomes.

Location Name
201C
Is presenter a student?
No