Heat spikes drive up Chicago ER visits for diverse injuries and illnesses
A new study of Chicago hospital records shows that days hotter than 92.6°F see sharp rises in a wide range of emergency visits, from gunshot wounds to kidney and skin problems.
Northwestern University medical school scientists analyzed nearly one million emergency-room and urgent-care encounters in Chicago over a twelve-year period to track how extreme heat affects health. They found that on days hotter than 92.6°F, the frequency of over a dozen injury and illness categories climbs, including accidental gunshot wounds, kidney disorders, skin conditions, varicose veins and mental-health issues linked to marijuana use.
Some conditions rose several-fold, with gunshot injuries increasing more than 30 times compared with cooler days. Experts not involved in the study said the findings highlight overlooked health burdens of rising heat waves and the potential cost to health-care systems. The researchers caution that heat-related diagnoses are often missed when studies rely only on explicit heat-stroke codes, underscoring the need for broader vigilance among patients with chronic conditions.
Why it matters
Rising heat intensifies a variety of health problems, increasing demand on emergency services and health-care costs.
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