Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 8, Issue 2, 2006, Pages 185-191

Estimating the incidence of heat-related deaths among immigrants in Pima County, Arizona (Article)

Keim S.M.* , Mays M.Z. , Parks B. , Pytlak E. , Harris R.M. , Kent M.A.
  • a Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, PO Box 245057, Tucson, AZ 85724-5057, United States
  • b Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, PO Box 245057, Tucson, AZ 85724-5057, United States, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, PO Box 245057, Tucson, AZ 85724-5057, United States
  • c Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, PO Box 245057, Tucson, AZ 85724-5057, United States, Office of the Medical Examiner, Pima County, AZ, United States
  • d Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, PO Box 245057, Tucson, AZ 85724-5057, United States, National Weather Service, National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration, Tucson, AZ, United States
  • e Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, PO Box 245057, Tucson, AZ 85724-5057, United States, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, AZ, United States
  • f Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, PO Box 245057, Tucson, AZ 85724-5057, United States, Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, MD, United States

Abstract

Widespread media reports have described an increase in heat-related deaths among illegal immigrant border crossers in Southern Arizona in recent years. We conducted a retrospective case series review of heat-related deaths reported by a large border county medical examiner office in an attempt to estimate the occurrence and distribution of these deaths for the years 1998-2003. United States Border Patrol apprehension data were also collected and used in the analysis to estimate the size of the population of border crossers. An increase in the total heat-related deaths has occurred since 1999 in Pima County Arizona and has continued to date. Precise estimates of rates are not possible but appear to have increased as well. Implications for understanding the complexity of researching this public health issue including the definition of cases and population at risk are discussed. © Springer Science + Business Media, Inc. 2006.

Author Keywords

Emigration and immigration heat stroke Vulnerable populations Epidemiology

Index Keywords

immigrant demography medical examination Arizona human middle aged controlled study priority journal death United States population risk population size Humans male female heat stroke population research Incidence Article Retrospective Studies major clinical study adult data analysis Transients and Migrants retrospective study mass medium mortality public health
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33646126944&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-006-8527-z&partnerID=40&md5=2da1b9a0f3556632874d091b7a51a046
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-006-8527-z
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 14
Original Language: English