Beat the Heat Boston

Summary

The goal of this stepped wedge trial is to assess the practical effects of air conditioners on hot weather impacts among older adults. The main questions it aims to answer are:

How does the presence of an air conditioning unit affect heat stress, heat strain, mental health, and healthcare utilization among older adults who did not previously have access to air conditioning?

How, and in what conditioners, do older adults use air conditioning once it is installed in their home?

Researchers will compare participants in arms with (A) and without (B) air conditioning units in the first summer season; this will allow them to assess the effect of air conditioners. In the second summer season, both arms will have air conditioning units, but those in the year two distribution arm (B) will receive an electricity subsidy, while those in the year one AC distribution arm (A) will not, allowing researchers to assess the effect of an electricity subsidy.

Participants will be randomized to receive an air conditioner and financial support for electricity costs in either the first summer season or the second summer season of the study.

* Heat stress, heat strain, mental health, and healthcare utilization will be assessed via participant survey.
* Air conditioner utilization will be assessed via continuous load monitoring devices.
* Indoor air temperature will be assessed via continuous data loggers.

Conditions

• Hot Weather; Adverse Effect
• Heat Effect
• Heat Stress
• Heat Stroke, Heat Exhaustion
• Heat Exposure
• Heat Strain

Interventions

OTHER

Air Conditioner

Air conditioners will be window-mounted units powered by 110v AC.

OTHER

Electricity subsidy

Electricity subsidies will consist of a single block subsidy of USD 100, intended to provide support for the electricity costs associated with operating an air conditioning unit.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Fogarty International Center of the National Institute of Health

  collaborator NIH

• Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Gary Adamkiewicz Associate Professor of Environmental Health and Exposure Disp., PhD, MPH, MS · Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

55 Years

Max Age

95 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-05-19

Primary Completion

2026-10-15

Completion

2026-10-15

Countries

• United States

Study Locations