Amid Montana’s recent heat wave health officials warned of its danger and the importance of staying cool. But now that temperatures are dropping, the impacts of the heat are unclear.
Over the past five years, the Montana State Health Department recorded nine heat-related deaths. That data is pulled from death certificates filled out by doctors and county officials.
Those numbers are likely an undercount, says University of Washington professor Jeremy Hess.
“Heat kills people in lots of different ways,” said Hess.
Most heat-related deaths aren’t from heat stroke. People typically die when heat makes a pre-existing condition worse.
“Cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, renal disease, etc,” Hess said.
If someone dies in a hospital from kidney disease, their doctor needs to think about whether heat potentially caused that person’s condition to worsen. Hess says in places like the northwest, which hasn’t historically struggled with heat, people may not be thinking about that connection.
Montana’s health department says it’s possible heat related deaths are underreported.
Hess says states’ definitions of what constitutes a heat-related death can be narrow. Some places like Arizona are broadening what counts.
“So say someone is found dead in a third story, unairconditioned apartment, and they appear to have died during a heat event. According to these newer definitions, that would be classified as a heat-related death,” said Hess
He says there is evidence that traditional death-certificate figures are an undercount. Researchers have started comparing the total number of deaths during heat waves to historical averages. One study found that there are up to 1,300 more deaths nationally during heat events.
Hess says getting a more accurate count puts the issue on the radar of policymakers that can do something to mitigate those deaths.
