Heat stress vulnerability and critical environmental limits for older adults

S. Tony Wolf, Rachel M. Cottle, Kat G. Fisher, Daniel J. Vecellio, W. Larry Kenney

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

The present study examined heat stress vulnerability of apparently healthy older vs. young adults and characterized critical environmental limits for older adults in an indoor setting at rest (Rest) and during minimal activity associated with activities of daily living. Critical environmental limits are combinations of ambient temperature and humidity above which heat balance cannot be maintained (i.e., becomes uncompensable) for a given metabolic heat production. Here we exposed fifty-one young (23 ± 4 yrs) and 49 older (71 ± 6 yrs) adults to progressive heat stress across a wide range of environments in an environmental chamber during Minimal Activity (young and older subjects) and Rest (older adults only). Heat compensability curves were shifted leftward for older adults indicating age-dependent heat vulnerablity (p < 0.01). During Minimal Activity, critical environmental limits were lower in older compared to young adults (p < 0.0001) and lower than those at Rest (p < 0.0001). These data document heat vulnerability of apparently healthy older adults and define critical environmental limits for indoor settings in older adults at rest and during activities of daily living, and can be used to develop evidence-based recommendations to minimize the deleterious impacts of extreme heat events in this population.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number486
JournalCommunications Earth and Environment
Volume4
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2023

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Environmental Science
  • General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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