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The Rate and Risk of Heat-Related Illness in Hospital Emergency Departments During the 1995 Chicago Heat Disaster

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Abstract

Objectives: To conduct an Emergency Department (ED)-based treated prevalence study of heat morbidity and to estimate the rate and risk of heat morbid events for all Chicago MSA EDs (N = 95; 2.7 million visits per year). Methods: ED patient log data were compiled from 13 randomly selected hospitals located throughout the Chicago MSA during the 2 weeks of the 1995 heat disaster and from the same 2-week period in 1994 (controls). Measurements included: age, sex, date, and time of ED service, up to three ICD-9 diagnoses, and disposition. Results: Heat morbidity for Chicago MSA hospital EDs was calculated at 4,224 (95%CI = 2964−5488) cases. ED heat morbidity increased significantly 5 days prior to the first heat-related death. In 1995, there was an increase in the estimated relative risk for the city = 3.85 and suburbs = 1.89 over the control year of 1994. Conclusions: Real time ED-based computer automated databanks should be constructed to improve public health response to infectious or noninfectious outbreaks. Rapid area-wide M&M tabulations can be used for advancing the effectiveness of community-based prevention programs, and anticipating hospital ED resource allocation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Emergency Medicine, Cook County Hospital, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois, 60612

    Robert J. Rydman & Linda M. Kampe

  2. Division of Health Policy and Administration, School of Public Health,University of Illinois at Chicago, Illinois, 60612

    Robert J. Rydman

  3. Department of Emergency Medicine, Resurrection Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, 60612

    Dino P. Rumoro, Julio C. Silva & Teresita M. Hogan

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  1. Robert J. Rydman
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  2. Dino P. Rumoro
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  3. Julio C. Silva
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  4. Teresita M. Hogan
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  5. Linda M. Kampe
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Rydman, R.J., Rumoro, D.P., Silva, J.C. et al. The Rate and Risk of Heat-Related Illness in Hospital Emergency Departments During the 1995 Chicago Heat Disaster. Journal of Medical Systems 23, 41–56 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020871528086

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