title: Heat-related mortality during a 1999 heat wave in Chicago.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During the summer of 1999, Chicago's second deadliest heat wave of the decade resulted in at least 80 deaths. The high mortality, exceeded only by a 1995 heat wave, provided the opportunity to investigate the risks associated with heat-related deaths and to examine the effectiveness of targeted heat-relieving interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a case-control study to determine risk factors for heat-related death. We collected demographic, health, and behavior information for 63 case patients and 77 neighborhood-and-age-matched control subjects and generated odds ratios (ORs) for each potential risk factor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-three percent of the case patients were aged <65 years, and psychiatric illness was almost twice as common in the younger than the older age group. In the multivariate analysis, the strongest risk factors for heat-related death were living alone (OR=8.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-48.1) and not leaving home daily (OR=5.8; 95% CI, 1.5-22.0). The strongest protective factor was a working air conditioner (OR=0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.7). Over half (53%) of the 80 decedents were seen or spoken to on the day of or day before their deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A working air conditioner is the strongest protective factor against heat-related death. The relatively younger age of case patients in 1999 may be due to post-1995 interventions that focused on the elderly of Chicago. However, social isolation and advanced age remain important risk factors. Individual social contacts and educational messages targeted toward at-risk populations during heat waves may decrease the number of deaths in these groups.
authors: Epidemic Intelligence Service, Epidemiology Progam Office, and the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. mgn0@cdc.gov
authors: Mary P
authors: MP
authors: Naughton
authors: Alden
authors: A
authors: Henderson
authors: Maria C
authors: MC
authors: Mirabelli
authors: Reinhard
authors: R
authors: Kaiser
authors: John L
authors: JL
authors: Wilhelm
authors: Stephanie M
authors: SM
authors: Kieszak
authors: Carol H
authors: CH
authors: Rubin
authors: Michael A
authors: MA
authors: McGeehin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000389:Air Conditioning; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D018883:Heat Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires