Poster #148 - Heat, Health, and Place: Policy-Relevant Evidence from Aging Populations

• In Event: Friday Poster Reception

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) is a key determinant of health and functional independence among older adults. Yet PA is shaped not only by individual factors but also by broader social and environmental conditions. As climate stressors intensify, extreme heat events increasingly challenge the ability to maintain safe and consistent activity, particularly for aging populations. Using an ecological framework, this study examines how environmental exposures and neighborhood characteristics influence older adults’ PA, emphasizing the role of place-based factors in shaping health behaviors. This perspective provides important implications for public health strategies aligned with urban planning and community development, amid growing recognition of the nexus between environmental stressors, public health, and policy. More specifically, this study investigates how older adults adapt their PA in response to extreme heat, focusing on two often-overlooked contextual factors: (1) residing in communities with a history of thermal extremes, and (2) local availability of exercise facilities.

Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (2004–2022), this research analyzes a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged 50 and older (Obs = 141,796). The primary independent variable is the annual number of extreme heat days (≥95°F, 100°F, and 105°F) between May and September. The outcome is a composite PA index that accounts for both frequency and intensity (mild, moderate, and vigorous activity). We use a three-step modeling approach. First, baseline models estimate how current extreme heat days affect PA. Second, we include a variable for residence in counties with a history of extreme heat and interact it with current exposure to assess PA adaptation. Third, a three-way interaction model tests whether county-level exercise facility availability moderates the heat–PA relationship.

Findings suggest that older adults residing in counties without a history of extreme heat exposure did not significantly alter their PA levels, even when experiencing current extreme heat events. In contrast, those who relocated to historically heat-prone counties were significantly more likely to reduce their PA in response to such events. Both the likelihood and frequency of mild and moderate PA declined substantially, with smaller but still notable reductions in vigorous activity. These results suggest that long-standing regional climate conditions shape safety norms and health behaviors, such as adjusting PA during extreme heat, potentially supporting adaptation even among those who are relatively new to these environments.

Findings also show that the availability of exercise facilities did not significantly moderate the heat-related decline in PA among older adults in historically heat-prone counties. However, in counties without a history of extreme heat, greater availability of exercise facilities was associated with increased PA levels during heat events. These findings suggest that increased facility availability in the county of residence may support more sustained PA under thermal stress, particularly in communities historically less burdened by extreme heat.

This research aims to identify how these neighborhood-level conditions mediate the effects of climate stressors on health behaviors, offering insights for designing integrated health and urban policies that promote resilience in aging communities facing increasing extreme heat challenges.

Author

• Hyunjung Ji, University of Alabama
  Presenting Author