AbstractsGeography &GIS

Hypothermia within the United States has seldom been studied from a geographic perspective. This dissertation assessed the following aspects of hypothermia: 1) A cataloging of Internet web pages containing hypothermia-related guidance, with a summary of the information contained within. The summarized hypothermia information was assessed for scientific validity through an extensive assessment of the peer-reviewed medical literature; 2) the spatio-temporal distribution of hypothermia deaths in U.S. Combined Statistical areas for the years 1979-2004, and their association with National Weather Service windchill advisory and warning thresholds; 3) the spatio-temporal distribution of hypothermia morbidity in the State of New York from 1991-1992 to 2005-2006 and its association with Spatial Synoptic Classification weather types. The results indicate that web-based hypothermia information has generally poor content not supported by the scientific literature, and there are many prominent omissions of well-established hypothermia information. A total of 9,185 hypothermia fatalities attributable to cold exposure occurred in 89 metro areas from 1979 to 2004. The southeastern US had the greatest vulnerability to hypothermia, with high rates of deaths occurring at higher temperatures than northern states. Median windchill temperature associated with deaths was generally latitudinal, with southern deaths occurring at higher temperatures. For all regions, hypothermia deaths occurred at temperatures considerably higher than windchill advisory criteria. Hypothermia morbidity within New York State was associated with long-lasting polar weather types. There are a number of findings common to these three papers. Information about hypothermia tends to be under-communicated (no central location for wind chill alerts, unsupported statements on many websites). Hypothermia deaths and hospitalizations increase when locally cold and long-lasting weather types occur, which fits in with what is known concerning heat and cold mortality. A lack of health outcome or health information to develop website information/wind chill alerts was noted. Overall, it was determined that hypothermia is a good metric for assessing cold weather-related vulnerability and that implementing health outcome-based information will help limit the hazards associated with this public health problem. Advisors/Committee Members: Sheridan, Scott (Advisor).