Homeless Health Heat Study

18 Jan 2023

With an increase in extreme weather events across the globe, the impact of heat and hot weather on human health is becoming increasingly evident.

While the impacts on older populations have been identified, there is limited research on how extreme weather affects homeless people’s health, and even fewer resources allocated to determining risks and strategies for protection.

For people who are rough sleeping, the lack of access to cool places and water, and the complex interactions between mental illness, medications and substance use disorder, can be exasperated by extreme heat.

Matt Larkin, Manager St Vincent’s Homeless Health Service and the research team of Mr Alejandro Vasquez-Hernandez, Dr Jane Currie, Dr Tim English and Dr Jennie Hutton have recently undertaken to better understand the risks of heat exposure for these vulnerable community members, the findings of which have recently been published in the Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

“We focussed on people experiencing homelessness who were admitted to Emergency during the 2020 heatwave, Australia’s fourth warmest year on record. Two such cases were adult males with known risk factors for heat-related illness including hypertension and schizophrenia; hepatitis C, cirrhosis, and alcohol use disorder”.

Following presentation to Emergency, these two cases alone represented $70,184 in medical costs and 31 hospital bed days for the treatment of severe heatstroke, an entirely preventable condition.

Classic heatstroke signs and symptoms such as confusion, dizziness, headaches, fainting, delirium and lethargy either present suddenly or progressively. The signs and symptoms usually go unnoticed by the sufferer, who in this case, are often alone.

Additionally there is a strong link between taking medications such as antipsychotics, and antidepressants with increased risk factors of morbidity and mortality during extreme heat conditions, adding to the complexity and risk for people experiencing homelessness who often don’t have direct access to cooling systems and cold water.

“Our research highlights the need to protect this vulnerable population from weather-related illness and even death”, said Matt. “It’s not just about making economic sense, it’s integral to protecting these community members”.

The team are now advocating for funding to establish practical strategies and increase social support to vulnerable individuals who may need help with evidence-based, low-cost cooling strategies, such as water soaking t-shirts, cold water foot baths, and recognising the early signs of heat illness.

Additionally, the team recommend that the establishment of dedicated cooling hubs for people experiencing homelessness in major cities such as Sydney, could be part of protecting people experiencing homelessness during heatwaves.

CLICK HERE to read the full research paper.

heat research

Research team members Matt Larkin & Alejandro Vasquez-Hernandez