Pacific Northwest record temps in 2021 caused adverse health outcomes

All time high temperatures are causing more injury deaths

In the summer of 2021, the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. experienced record heat waves. Beyond the environmental repercussions of warmer temperatures, a team of public health researchers discovered unexpected consequences. Injury deaths such as drownings, traffic accidents, assaults, and suicides exceeded expectations as a result of the unprecedented heat wave. 

UCI Public Health’s Tim Bruckner, PhD, a professor of health, society, and behavior joined a research team to analyze death certificate data during the heat wave and discovered the association of higher injury death rates. They found that in June of 2021, injury deaths exceeded predictions by 21 deaths and by July of that time, death exceeded predictions by 93. These results coincide with additional evidence-based research that injury death rates vary by season in the U.S. confirming that temperature can notably influence injury death rates. 

Findings are published in the American Journal of Public Health.

We need to create better public health interventions and awareness in order to manage the impact that rising temperatures can have on alcohol consumption, driving behaviors, levels of anger and despair, and increased swimming activities.”

– Tim Bruckner, PhD

Researchers hope that with their results can inform public health interventions that protect vulnerable communities from hazardous heat. Older adults, agricultural workers, and others undertaking strenuous physical activity in uncooled spaces are disproportionately at risk to the effects of heat. 

“Even though the Pacific Northwest Heat Wave was a 1-in-1000-years event, it can happen again as climate change effects worsen,” says Bruckner. “We need to create better public health interventions and awareness in order to manage the impact that rising temperatures can have on alcohol consumption, driving behaviors, levels of anger and despair, and increased swimming activities.”

Additional authors include corresponding author Joan Casey, PhD, and Robbie Parks, PhD from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health; Alison Gemmill, PhD from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; and Ralph Catalano, PhD from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health.