1 research outputs found
Indoor apparent temperature, cognition, and daytime sleepiness among lowâincome adults in a temperate climate
The burden of temperatureâassociated mortality and hospital visits is significant, but temperatureâs effects on nonâemergency health outcomes is less clear. This burden is potentially greater in lowâincome households unable to afford efficient heating and cooling. We examined shortâterm associations between indoor temperatures and cognitive function and daytime sleepiness in lowâincome residents of Detroit, Michigan. Apparent temperature (AT, based on temperature and humidity) was recorded hourly in 34 participant homes between July 2019âMarch 2020. Between JulyâOctober 2019, 18 participants were administered word list immediate (WLL) and delayed (WLD) recall tests (10âpoint scales) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (24âpoint scale) 2â4 times. We applied longitudinal models with nonlinear distributed lags of temperature up to 7 days prior to testing. Indoor temperatures ranged 8â34°C overall and 15â34°C on survey days. We observed a 0.4 (95% CI: 0.0, 0.7) point increase in WLL and 0.4 (95% CI: 0.0, 0.9) point increase in WLD scores per 2°C increase in AT. Results suggested decreasing sleepiness scores with decreasing nighttime AT below 22°C. Lowâincome Detroit residents experience uncomfortably high and low indoor temperatures. Indoor temperature may influence cognitive function and sleepiness, although we did not observe deleterious effects of higher temperatures.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/171581/1/ina12972.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/171581/2/ina12972_am.pd