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

Samuel M. Keim; Mary Z. Mays; Bruce Parks; Erik Pytlak; Robin M. Harris; Michael A. Kent

doi:10.1007/s10903-006-8527-z

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

Samuel M. Keim, Mary Z. Mays, Bruce Parks, Erik Pytlak, Robin M. Harris, Michael A. Kent

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

20 Scopus citations

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.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	185-191
Number of pages	7
Journal	Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume	8
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-006-8527-z
State	Published - Apr 2006

Keywords

Emigration and immigration
Epidemiology
Heat stroke
Vulnerable populations

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Epidemiology
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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10.1007/s10903-006-8527-z

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title = "Estimating the incidence of heat-related deaths among immigrants in Pima County, Arizona",

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.",

keywords = "Emigration and immigration, Epidemiology, Heat stroke, Vulnerable populations",

author = "Keim, {Samuel M.} and Mays, {Mary Z.} and Bruce Parks and Erik Pytlak and Harris, {Robin M.} and Kent, {Michael A.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of Mr. Rob Daniels, Tucson Sector of the United States Border Patrol. Portions of this work were supported by a grant from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, #K30HL004519 and the Arizona Clinical Research Training Program. An oral presentation of portions of the work was made by the corresponding author at the 131st American Public Health Association Annual Meeting in San Francisco, November 19th, 2003.",

year = "2006",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1007/s10903-006-8527-z",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "8",

pages = "185--191",

journal = "Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health",

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AU - Keim, Samuel M.

AU - Mays, Mary Z.

AU - Parks, Bruce

AU - Pytlak, Erik

AU - Harris, Robin M.

AU - Kent, Michael A.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of Mr. Rob Daniels, Tucson Sector of the United States Border Patrol. Portions of this work were supported by a grant from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, #K30HL004519 and the Arizona Clinical Research Training Program. An oral presentation of portions of the work was made by the corresponding author at the 131st American Public Health Association Annual Meeting in San Francisco, November 19th, 2003.

PY - 2006/4

Y1 - 2006/4

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Emigration and immigration

KW - Epidemiology

KW - Heat stroke

KW - Vulnerable populations

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ER -

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

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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