Cold-related fatalities in the United States have seen a significant increase since 1999, with older adults being particularly vulnerable to health problems caused by exposure to cold temperatures.
Deaths Related to Cold Exposure on the Rise in the US
Older adults are particularly vulnerable to health problems caused by exposure to cold temperatures.
People walking through a major winter storm in New York City. The number of deaths related to cold temperatures has increased from 1999 to 2022 in the United States.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
The age-adjusted, cold-related mortality rate in the US rose from about 4 per 1 million people in 1999 to 9 in 2022, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This increase is attributed to a rise in deaths from 2017 to 2022.
Cold-Related Death Rate Varies by Age Group
The cold-related death rate was highest among those aged 75 and older, with a rate of 42 per 1 million people in 2022. Older adults are more susceptible to the cold because their bodies have difficulty generating heat and staying warm.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Cold-Related Deaths
There were also significant disparities in cold-related deaths among different racial and ethnic groups in 2022. American Indian or Alaska Native people had a death rate of 63 per 1 million, while Black people had a rate of 15 per 1 million.
These disparities can be attributed to structural factors such as a lack of heat in homes. For example, 12% of American Indian and Alaska Native households in tribal areas have heating deficiencies, compared to only 2% of US households overall. Additionally, research has shown that Black people are more likely to live in older homes with inefficient heating systems and inadequate insulation.
The Risks of Hypothermia
Exposure to excessive cold can lead to hypothermia, a medical emergency where the body’s core temperature falls below 35 degrees Celsius. During hypothermia, the cardiovascular and respiratory systems cannot function properly, leading to potentially life-threatening consequences.
Potential Factors Contributing to Increased Cold-Related Deaths
While the study did not investigate the causes of the increased cold-related death rate, the authors suggest that factors such as an increasing number of people experiencing homelessness and more frequent episodes of severe winter weather may be contributing to this trend.
- sciencenews.org | Deaths related to the cold have grown since 1999 in the U.S.
