UHC/CCUH Pilot-Funded Study Published in Nature Communications Examining Heat in Prisons

Jaquelyn Jahn, PhD, MPH an Urban Health Collaborative (UHC)-affiliated faculty member and Associate Professor with the Ubuntu Center on Racism, Global Movements & Population Health Equity, recently led a study published in Nature Communications. She was joined by UHC Faculty members Josiah Kephart, PhD, MPH and Leah Schinasi, PhD, MSPH.

The study, titled “Mortality and healthcare services in Pennsylvania state prisons following extreme ambient temperatures,” investigates what could be seen as an overlooked area of population health research – how extreme heat can affect incarcerated populations. This is a critical research gap to be addressed, considering that incarcerated populations are uniquely affected by extreme ambient temperatures due to the limited mobility and control of temperatures brought by incarceration.

After combing through the data, the researchers found that among people imprisoned in Pennsylvania (2000-2023), both warmer and cooler temperatures were significantly associated with higher rates of mortality, transfers to outside medical facilities, and prison infirmary admissions.

This study was funded as a pilot project of the UHC and Dornsife’s Drexel Research Center on Extreme Weather and Urban Health (CCUH). The CCUH was an exploratory center launched in September 2023 and funded by a P20 grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) under the NIH Climate Change and Health Initiative.

The pilot, “Extreme heat in U.S. prisons: Advancing Equitable Policy and Action,” supported two lines of work. The first was the Pennsylvania analysis as part of the aforementioned paper, and the second was a broader national policy scan. A team of students reviewed handbooks and policy documents from all 50 states’ Departments of Corrections to map how each addresses extreme temperatures. No uniform national standard governs temperatures in state prisons, so these policies vary widely. Twenty-four states set no temperature threshold for their policies to take effect, and 32 have no policy on modifying work during extreme heat or cold.

The pilot also funded a community advisory board of advocates and formerly incarcerated people, who continue to guide the research. Its results served as preliminary data for a new NIH R01 grant on Temperature-Related Mortality in U.S. State Prisons. With that funding, the team will expand policy work and study how indoor temperatures, overcrowding, and air conditioning contribute to preventable deaths.

Before the publication of this study, Dr. Jahn took part in a CCUH webinar going into detail about its methods and policy implications. Watch the full recording at the link below!