Heat exposure and the incidence of diseases in children: Evidence from sub-Saharan countries

I combine multiple rounds of geo-coded household survey data with a globally gridded climate dataset to quantify the impact of heat exposure on child disease incidence in sub-Saharan Africa. I construct hour-degree bins of temperature exposure and find that 10 additional hours of exposure to temperatures between 30–35°C in the 14 days preceding the interview increase the probability of fever, diarrhea, and acute respiratory infection by 1.5, 3.0, and 3.5 percentage points, respectively. The effects of heat are more pronounced in urban areas: exposure in the 30–35°C range raises the incidence of fever and acute respiratory infection by an additional 1.0 and 1.8 percentage points, respectively, compared to rural settings. Finally, I further find that the effects are stronger among children of less-educated mothers. These findings show the health risks posed by heat exposure in sub-Saharan Africa, and highlight the unequal burden faced by vulnerable groups.