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Reduced cognitive function during a heat wave among residents of non-air-conditioned buildings: An observational study of young adults in the summer of 2016

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  • Jose Guillermo Cedeño Laurent
  • Augusta Williams
  • Youssef Oulhote
  • Antonella Zanobetti
  • Joseph G Allen
  • John D Spengler

Abstract

Background: In many regions globally, buildings designed for harnessing heat during the cold exacerbate thermal exposures during heat waves (HWs) by maintaining elevated indoor temperatures even when high ambient temperatures have subdued. While previous experimental studies have documented the effects of ambient temperatures on cognitive function, few have observed HW effects on indoor temperatures following subjects’ habitual conditions. The objective was to evaluate the differential impact of having air conditioning (AC) on cognitive function during a HW among residents of AC and non-AC buildings using a prospective observational cohort study. Methods: We followed 44 students (mean age = 20.2 years; SD = 1.8 years) from a university in the Greater Boston area, Massachusetts in the United States living in AC (n = 24) and non-AC (n = 20) buildings before, during, and after a HW. Two cognition tests were self-administered daily for a period of 12 days (July 9–July 20, 2016), the Stroop color-word test (STROOP) to assess selective attention/processing speed and a 2-digit, visual addition/subtraction test (ADD) to evaluate cognitive speed and working memory. The effect of the HW on cognitive function was evaluated using difference-in-differences (DiD) modelling. Findings: Mean indoor temperatures in the non-AC group (mean = 26.3°C; SD = 2.5°C; range = 19.6–30.4°C) were significantly higher (p

Suggested Citation

  • Jose Guillermo Cedeño Laurent & Augusta Williams & Youssef Oulhote & Antonella Zanobetti & Joseph G Allen & John D Spengler, 2018. "Reduced cognitive function during a heat wave among residents of non-air-conditioned buildings: An observational study of young adults in the summer of 2016," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(7), pages 1-20, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pmed00:1002605
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002605
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