Cold Weather Deaths Double in US

Study reveals shifts in rates of cold weather deaths based on age and race.

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Americans are dying from cold weather at more than twice the rate they did two decades ago.

A total of 40,079 deaths were recorded from 1999 to 2022, with cold temperatures as either an underlying or contributing cause of death, according to a research letter published Dec. 19 in JAMA Network.

The authors of the letter, affiliated with Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, used data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to analyze death certificates.

The letter highlights a long-term trend of increase in the rate of cold-related deaths, more than doubling from 0.44 per 100,000 people in 1999 to 0.92 per 100,000 people in 2022.

Cold-related deaths were highest among U.S. adults aged 75 years and older. Older people are more susceptible to cold weather due to their limited ability to regulate their body temperature and a greater prevalence of chronic health conditions.

While the elderly experience the most deaths overall, the middle-aged group is seeing the fastest rate of increase in cold-related fatalities. Men were more likely to die from cold-related causes than women.

These findings are “striking” because these deaths are preventable, Michael Liu, a doctor of medicine student at Harvard Medical School and the study’s first author, told The Epoch Times.

Reasons for the Increase

Data from the research letter also indicated that while American Indian, Alaska Native, and black people were more likely to die from cold-related deaths each year than any other racial or ethnic groups, Hispanic and white populations saw the most significant increases in the annual mortality rate attributed to cold weather.

“There is also increasing evidence that social risk factors that predispose to cold-related deaths are rising in the U.S., including higher rates of social isolation and unsheltered homelessness,” Liu added.

Liu noted that although he and his team cannot accurately predict trends going forward, “it is possible that deaths due to cold may increase over time.”

“There is evidence that climate change has been associated with more extreme winter weather events,” he said.

Another factor that may contribute to increasing deaths from cold in the United States over time is the aging population. “This population has a more limited thermoregulation capacity and a greater burden of underlying health conditions,” Liu said.

Structural risk factors like not having sufficient home insulation or heating may also be contributing to cold-related deaths.

American Indian, Alaska Native, and black populations, are particularly at risk due to living in homes with inadequate home insulation or heating. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, from July 2021 to May 2023, 36.4 percent of households facing energy insecurity were black.

Additionally, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that winter months have seen death rates 8 to 12 percent higher than those in non-winter months across the United States for several years.

This article has been edited from a previous version for brevity and balance.