Our mission is to provide access to timely environmental health information, data, and visualization tools to inform public health decisions and actions. MA EPHT helps public health practitioners, academic institutions, community members, state and local partners, policymakers, and others make data-informed decisions to improve public health.
As one of the data resources maintained by DPH, MA EPHT provides environment and health data by state, county, community, and region through interactive maps and downloadable tables. Some datasets are available at the census tract level to provide a deeper understanding of neighborhood-level environmental health trends.
To view other DPH data resources visit the DPH Data Library.
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Heat-related illness and extreme heat days in Massachusetts
Heat-related Illness (HRI) is a group of illnesses, including heat stress, heat stroke, and heat exhaustion. HRI can occur after experiencing high temperatures and humidity over time especially while in the sun. Humidity can make hot weather feel even hotter and make it harder for the body to cool itself.
The MA EPHT Program tracks HRI emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. Use the display below to explore the most current data by county. Select a county from the drop-down menu to view HRI ED visits alongside the number of extreme heat days. Extreme heat days are days when the heat index was above 90 degrees. The heat index incorporates the effects of humidity and acts as a "feels like" temperature.
Knowing the temperature or Heat Index can help us prevent and understand the risk of HRI. Being aware of the signs of HRI can save lives. Check out the Massachusetts Unhealthy Heat Forecast to learn about your community's risk. You can also find more resources on the DPH Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health (BCEH) Extreme Heat website.
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