Posters
Presenting Author Academic/Professional Position
Undergraduate
Academic Level (Author 1)
Undergraduate
Discipline/Specialty (Author 1)
Population Health and Biostatistics
Academic Level (Author 2)
Other
Academic Level (Author 3)
Other
Academic Level (Author 4)
Faculty
Discipline/Specialty (Author 4)
Population Health and Biostatistics
Academic Level (Author 5)
Faculty
Discipline/Specialty (Author 5)
Population Health and Biostatistics
Presentation Type
Poster
Discipline Track
Community/Public Health
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Background: Heat stress in humans can lead to heat-related illness and disproportionately impacts low resource communities who are more likely to experience risk factors for heat exposure. For instance, the heat and health index, a national tool, ranks the South TexasMexico border region as being at high risk for heat related adverse health outcomes. Extreme heat events are described as periods of high heat and humidity with temperatures above 90 degrees for at least two days. Understanding who is experiencing heat stress and to what extent, is important when planning and designing interventions aimed at preventing negative heat related health outcomes in low resource communities.
Methods: A cross-sectional study using the modified Subjective Heat Stress Survey (SHS) was conducted (n=296). The SHS measures individual, social, and urban built factors to assess heat stress across conditions of daily life using a 5-level Likert Scale (not at all to very strong). In July 2019, community members living in Hidalgo County that attended an emergency preparedness exercise seeking free health services were invited to participate in the survey. Surveys collected data on sociodemographic, health environmental and neighborhood factors and included the SHS. Descriptive statistics were estimated for all factors measured and chi-square and Spearman’s correlation coefficients (p<0.05) were used to measure the unadjusted associations between heat stress and each factor. SAS 9.4 was used to perform all analyses.
Results: Most survey respondents were female (78%), 18-39 years of age (52%), reported an annual household income less than $10,000 (57%) and reported somewhat strong/very strong heat stress in general (52%), at home (29%) and at work (30%). Respondents frequently reported experiencing heat stress during leisure activities (n=118), when outside (n=128), in their neighborhood (n=130) and at their city center (n=118). Positive linear associations were observed between heat stress in general (r=0.31) and at home (r=0.34) with the number of selfreported comorbid chronic health conditions. Younger ages were more likely to report somewhat strong/very strong heat stress at home (p-value=0.0543) and at work (p-value= 0.0251). Those 18-29 years (29%) and 30-39 years (24%) reported somewhat strong/very strong heat stress more frequently at work when compared to older ages. An increasing number of neighborhood concerns (e.g. loud noise, litter, not safe to walk alone) was also found to be associated with experiencing somewhat strong/very strong heat stress in general (p-value = 0.0215). Seventysix percent of respondents reporting more than 10 neighborhood safety concerns reported experiencing somewhat strong/very strong heat stress in general.
Conclusion: Unadjusted linear associations were observed between subjective heat stress and age, number of chronic health conditions and neighborhood safety. Further exploration of low resource communities living along the Texas-Mexico border could help inform the allocation of resources or programmatic activities aimed at ameliorating subjective heat stress in general, at home and at work.
Recommended Citation
Ruvio, Elyssa; Machiorlatti, Michael; Choh, Audrey; Clark, Loren; and Robledo, Candace, "Sociodemographic and environmental factors associated with subjective heat stress among residents living in the south Texas-Mexico border region." (2025). Research Symposium. 61.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2025/posters/61
Included in
Sociodemographic and environmental factors associated with subjective heat stress among residents living in the south Texas-Mexico border region.
Background: Heat stress in humans can lead to heat-related illness and disproportionately impacts low resource communities who are more likely to experience risk factors for heat exposure. For instance, the heat and health index, a national tool, ranks the South TexasMexico border region as being at high risk for heat related adverse health outcomes. Extreme heat events are described as periods of high heat and humidity with temperatures above 90 degrees for at least two days. Understanding who is experiencing heat stress and to what extent, is important when planning and designing interventions aimed at preventing negative heat related health outcomes in low resource communities.
Methods: A cross-sectional study using the modified Subjective Heat Stress Survey (SHS) was conducted (n=296). The SHS measures individual, social, and urban built factors to assess heat stress across conditions of daily life using a 5-level Likert Scale (not at all to very strong). In July 2019, community members living in Hidalgo County that attended an emergency preparedness exercise seeking free health services were invited to participate in the survey. Surveys collected data on sociodemographic, health environmental and neighborhood factors and included the SHS. Descriptive statistics were estimated for all factors measured and chi-square and Spearman’s correlation coefficients (p<0.05) were used to measure the unadjusted associations between heat stress and each factor. SAS 9.4 was used to perform all analyses.
Results: Most survey respondents were female (78%), 18-39 years of age (52%), reported an annual household income less than $10,000 (57%) and reported somewhat strong/very strong heat stress in general (52%), at home (29%) and at work (30%). Respondents frequently reported experiencing heat stress during leisure activities (n=118), when outside (n=128), in their neighborhood (n=130) and at their city center (n=118). Positive linear associations were observed between heat stress in general (r=0.31) and at home (r=0.34) with the number of selfreported comorbid chronic health conditions. Younger ages were more likely to report somewhat strong/very strong heat stress at home (p-value=0.0543) and at work (p-value= 0.0251). Those 18-29 years (29%) and 30-39 years (24%) reported somewhat strong/very strong heat stress more frequently at work when compared to older ages. An increasing number of neighborhood concerns (e.g. loud noise, litter, not safe to walk alone) was also found to be associated with experiencing somewhat strong/very strong heat stress in general (p-value = 0.0215). Seventysix percent of respondents reporting more than 10 neighborhood safety concerns reported experiencing somewhat strong/very strong heat stress in general.
Conclusion: Unadjusted linear associations were observed between subjective heat stress and age, number of chronic health conditions and neighborhood safety. Further exploration of low resource communities living along the Texas-Mexico border could help inform the allocation of resources or programmatic activities aimed at ameliorating subjective heat stress in general, at home and at work.
