Temperature Extremes

This information will help you learn more about the research that is being done to date to further the Aging Initiative including a summary of EPA projects or supported projects and various fact sheets and reports developed by EPA.

"It's Too Darn Hot" - Planning for Excessive Heat Events (PDF) (4 pp, 380K, About PDF) Information for Older Adults and Family Caregivers
Cold Weather - When winter temperatures drop significantly below normal, staying warm and safe can become a challenge. Extremely cold temperatures often accompany a winter storm, so you may have to cope with power failures and icy roads. Although staying indoors as much as possible can help reduce the risk of car crashes and falls on the ice, you may also face indoor hazards. Many homes will be too cold -- either due to a power failure or because the heating system isn't adequate for the weather. When people must use space heaters and fireplaces to stay warm, the risk of household fires increases, as well as the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Exposure to cold temperatures, whether indoors or outside, can cause other serious or life-threatening health problems. Infants and the elderly are particularly at risk, but anyone can be affected. To keep yourself and your family safe, you should know how to prevent cold-related health problems and what to do if a cold-weather health emergency arises.

Hot Weather

CDC - From 1979 -1999, excessive heat exposure caused 8,015 deaths in the United States. During this period, more people in this country died from extreme heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. Because most heat-related deaths occur during the summer, and because weather projections for this year indicate a hotter-than-average summer, people should be aware of who is at greatest risk and what actions can be taken to prevent a heat-related illness or death. The elderly, the very young and people with mental illness and chronic diseases are at highest risk.
Health Effects of Overexposure to the Sun

Since the appearance of an ozone hole over the Antarctic in the early 1980s, Americans have become aware of the health threats posed by ozone depletion, which decreases our atmosphere's natural protection from the sun's harmful ultra-violet (UV) rays. This fact sheet provides a quick overview of the major health problems linked to overexposure to UV radiation: Skin Cancer (melanoma and nonmelanoma); Premature aging of the skin and other skin problems; Cataracts and other eye damage; and Immune system suppression.

Understanding these risks and taking a few sensible precautions will help you to enjoy the sun while lowering your chances of sun-related health problems later in life.

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