The Heat-Related Illness Screening Tool: A Case Study for Populations at Risk.

Climate change, an urgent public health problem, will increase the morbidity and mortality of older adults. The 2020 report of The Lancet Countdown highlighted that older adults are susceptible to the effects of extreme weather events, including heatwaves. Through the lens of the socio-ecological model, we identified influences on persons at risk for heat-related illnesses. We applied the Heat-related Intolerance Screening Tool (HIST) to a case that demonstrates the impact of physical, social, environmental, and societal factors on older people. The hypothetical case provides a context for ambulatory care nurses to explore innovative ways to screen for heat intolerance to mitigate the risk of heat-related illnesses, such as heat stroke. Our innovation supports the broad utility of the simple HIST by ambulatory care nurses to identify and prevent heat-related illnesses, thereby reducing emergency room visits and hospital admissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]