Study to evaluate impact of heat stress on health in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
Researchers in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have launched a study to evaluate the impact of heat stress on physical and mental health. The project will monitor 4,800 households to develop a personalized heat-impact metric tool and assess the preparedness of local health systems.
Why it matters
As global temperatures rise, understanding the granular health impacts of heat stress is critical for developing effective public health policies and climate adaptation strategies.
A study to evaluate the effect of heat on physical and mental health in south India and to arrive at a personalised heat-impact metric tool for individuals, homes and communities has been initiated in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) will work with the State governments, SCARF, the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, and ICMR institutions – the National Institute of Traditional Medicine in Belagavi and the National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai. “We are looking at getting a granular understanding of the impact of heat on human health in an effort to chart out what different departments need to do,” says MSSRF chairperson Soumya Swaminathan. The project will also assess preparedness of health systems – from primary to tertiary – to handle heat stress among the people.
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