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Hot and Crowded: Temperature, Healthcare Utilization and Patient Outcomes

Author

Listed:
  • Sandra Aguilar-Gomez
  • Joshua S. Graff Zivin
  • Matthew J. Neidell

Abstract

Extreme heat raises emergency demand and may increase mortality through hospital congestion when shocks hit many people at once. Using administrative records from Mexico’s largest public health system, we separate direct heat effects from congestion spillovers. Days with maximum temperature above 34°C increase ED visits by 6.9 percent and hospitalizations by 4.2 percent, with sicker ED patients discharged home more often. In-hospital deaths rise for already-admitted patients, suggesting important spillover effects, and deaths disproportionately increase outside hospitals. These results identify health-system capacity as an important margin of adaptation to extreme heat.

Suggested Citation

  • Sandra Aguilar-Gomez & Joshua S. Graff Zivin & Matthew J. Neidell, 2025. "Hot and Crowded: Temperature, Healthcare Utilization and Patient Outcomes," NBER Working Papers 33491, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:33491
    Note: DEV EEE EH PE
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Klauber, Hannah & Koch, Nicolas & Pestel, Nico, 2025. "The Immediate and Lasting Effects of Heat Waves On Workers," IZA Discussion Papers 18176, IZA Network @ LISER.
    2. Bressler, R. Daniel & Papp, Anna & Sarmiento, Luis & Shrader, Jeffrey G. & Wilson, Andrew J., 2025. "Working Under the Sun: The Role of Occupation in Temperature-Related Mortality in Mexico," IZA Discussion Papers 17759, IZA Network @ LISER.
    3. Cristina Bellés Obrero & Giulia Montresor & Catia Nicodemo, 2025. "When Policy Meets Weather: Extreme Temperatures and Workplace Safety," Working Papers 1519, Barcelona School of Economics.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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