11/12/2025: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST
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Background: Extreme weather linked to climate change is increasing in frequency and severity, with cascading health effects disproportionately affecting communities of color and low-income communities. This study examines the associations between extreme weather and physical and mental health among adults and whether this relationship varies by socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity.
Methods: From the 2023 California Health Interview Survey, we analyzed data on 14,319 adults who reported experiencing any extreme weather event (heat waves, wildfires, or wildfire smoke) in the past two years. Self-reported health outcomes included current asthma status, mental or physical health harm attributable to extreme weather, and psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale [moderate: 5-12; severe: ≥13]). Inverse probability weighting adjusted for age, income, race, ethnicity, and smoking. Firth logistic regression models assessed health effects of extreme weather, with analyses stratified by race, ethnicity, and income.
Results: Health harm from extreme weather varied by event and sociodemographic group. For example, multiracial individuals most frequently reported mental health harm from wildfire smoke (20%, p<0.001). Compared to unexposed adults, wildfire exposure was associated with higher odds of asthma (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2–1.4). Heat waves were linked to severe psychological distress (aOR: 4.9, 95% CI: 4.5–5.4) and physical health harm (aOR: 7.4, 95% CI: 5.8–9.6). In stratified analyses, wildfire exposure had the strongest association with asthma among low-income adults (aOR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.18-2.11).
Conclusions: Extreme weather adversely impacts physical and mental health, with disproportionate effects across marginalized socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic groups. Climate adaptation strategies must address the compounding burdens of structural inequities within communities of color and poverty.
Extreme Weather Events
Climate Change and Mental Health
Health Disparities
Socioeconomic and Racial Inequities
Psychological Distress
Wildfire Smoke Exposure
Presenting Author
Kathy Hoang, University of California, Los Angeles
First Author
Kathy Hoang, University of California, Los Angeles
Target Audience
Beginner
Tracks
Community
Women in Statistics and Data Science 2025