Health impacts of excessive heat in Multnomah County, OR, 2021

Abstract

Human-induced climate change is leading to increased extreme weather events, such as the heat dome that occurred in Multnomah County, OR, in June 2021. Certain groups are at increased risk from excessive heat events, such as the very young and very old, persons without stable housing, and persons with certain health comorbidities. Our review of three data sources (deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits) showed large increases in all three measures in the summer of 2021. Further, two-thirds of identified heat deaths occurred in or near neighborhoods that ranked among the most vulnerable to extreme heat. Despite thoughtful planning, a recently updated heat response plan, and an unprecedented mobilization of resources, we documented severe health impacts due to this heat event. We recommend that local health jurisdictions and emergency responders increase readiness for such events by interrogating existing plans and tailoring them not to events of expected severity, but to a worst case scenario that exceeds historic experiences.

Keywords

• health
• Multnomah County
• heat
• climate change
• hyperthermia
• heat dome