A System of Professions Approach to Reducing Heat Exposure in Cuyahoga County, Ohio

Abstract

Each year in the United States, more people die from heat waves than any other type of natural disaster. Climate change models predict an increase in extreme heat, especially in the Midwest. There have been limited efforts to describe how professionals define, implement, and evaluate strategies to reduce heat stress, though such taxonomy would support cross-disciplinary collaboration and communication. By examining the results of semi-structured interviews with public officials from the health, building, and urban policy sectors, this paper explores the system of professions involved in reducing exposure to heat stress in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. A system of professions approach links professionals to the work they consider their jurisdiction, such as providing cooling centers, weatherizing homes, or developing physical plans; it also describes their interrelations to identify gaps, barriers, and conflicts that limit coordination and collaboration. Greater Cleveland is the focus of this study because several recent climate assessments have identified the region as extremely vulnerable to increased temperatures. Interviews confirmed that professionals define issues related to temperature in the built environment differently. This results in different diagnoses, methods of inference, and treatments of temperature-related issues. Only three strategies—energy efficiency, air-conditioning, and indoor air quality—were discussed by interviewees from all three sectors; this indicates disconnects among professions regarding other important approaches. The interviews also confirmed that differences in priorities can cause conflict among policy sectors. Working collaboratively to resolve these differences is an important first step to reduce future heat-related mortality in the face of climate change.