As New Jersey heats up due to climate change, health professionals continue to warn of a growing list of health and behavioral concerns. The state’s Interagency Council on Climate Resilience held a public webinar on the topic on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
Dr. Elizabeth Cerceo, professor of medicine and director of climate health for Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, spoke of the stealthy nature of heat illnesses, walking participants in the webinar through the progression of serious heat impacts that can lead to heat exhaustion and even more deadly heat stroke.
For many there are no clear warning signs that an individual is progressing from one to the other. More importantly, a person can arrive at a point in that progression where he/she no longer has the ability to reverse the health impacts without medical attention.
Cerceo said that under the right conditions, heat stroke can arrive in as little as 20 minutes of exertion in extreme heat. She cited statistics that show almost 450 New Jerseyans die each year from heat implications “under our current level of warming.” That number will almost certainly rise as the state experiences more frequent and longer periods of extreme heat.
Extreme heat is defined as outdoor or indoor heat levels that interfere with the body’s ability to maintain normal body function. That is seen as temperatures above 90 degrees for at least two to three days. In New Jersey, a heat advisory is issued when there are expectations of 95 degrees for at least two consecutive days or over 100 degrees for any length of time.
There are several stages of heat-related illness.
Early in the process of reacting to extreme heat, the body may develop a heat rash or sunburn. The principal action to take is for a person to remove herself or himself from the heat, go to a cool place and stay out of the sun until the rash or sunburn heals.
In the next stage, heat cramps can develop with painful muscle spasms. These are a sign that individuals should take precautions, removing themselves from the heat, hydrating and cooling down.
The next and more serious stage is heat exhaustion, resulting from a loss of water and salt in the body. This occurs when the body is unable to cool itself and can lead to the even more serious heat stroke. This may be accompanied by vomiting, nausea, behavioral anxiety and other symptoms. Again, individuals are advised to seek a cool place, sip water and seek medical help if symptoms get worse.
Heat stroke is the most dangerous stage, when the body’s temperature-regulating system is overwhelmed by the heat. It is life-threatening and requires medical attention. At this point, Cerceo said, the individual is unlikely to be able to cool the body without medical intervention. In this case, the CDC says, the individual should not be given fluids to drink until seen by a medical professional. It is advised to call 911.
A printable infographic on heat-related illnesses is available from the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/extreme-heat/signs-symptoms/index.html.
The Interagency Council says that the state is among the fastest-warming in the country. The Rutgers Climate Change Resource Center cites data to that effect from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the National Weather Service.
The average rise in temperature across the country since 1970 has been about 2.5 degrees; in New Jersey the increase is 3.5 degrees. The 2020 New Jersey Scientific Report on Climate Change pointed to the steeper rise in temperatures in the Garden State.
Robert Kley, vice president of the Mental Health Association of New Jersey, said extreme heat also manifests in behavioral changes as well. These can include increased irritability, aggression, mood swings, problems concentrating, impulsive actions and even an increased risk of violence.
Dr. Jeanne Craft, founding member of Climate Advocate at the American Academy of Pediatrics, spoke on the special vulnerability of children. She said that by the time an adult feels the onset of heat illness, a child “is already there.”
Craft noted that children, especially infants, absorb heat more quickly and have bodies that lack regulating mechanisms present in adults. She also said that many of the same limitations that prevent children from dealing with extreme heat effectively are also present in seniors, another vulnerable population.
Soko Setoguchi, professor of medicine at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, reminded webinar participants of the interplay of humidity with temperature. As humidity increases, the efficiency of the body’s sweating as a cooling function declines. This can make it impossible for individuals to cool, increasing the risk of serious heat illness.
Setoguchi also noted that vulnerable populations include children, seniors and individuals with pre-existing conditions, along with those taking certain medications, athletes, pregnant women and outdoor workers.
The webinar on the health implications of a hotter New Jersey is available for public viewing at https://heat-hub-new-jersey-njdep.hub.arcgis.com/pages/events. Also, Heat Hub New Jersey contains useful information in dealing with extreme heat at https://heat-hub-new-jersey-njdep.hub.arcgis.com/pages/extreme-heat-and-health.
Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
