Abstract:-

Increasing temperatures in India, along with a rise in the frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves, pose serious health risks in terms of mortality and morbidity. Despite a rising frequency of heat events across geographies, few studies assess morbidity outcomes in low-and-middle-income countries. This paper examines the evidence on heat-health risks for the Indian population using a national level dataset covering 500,000 individuals and 63 illnesses. Statistical and econometric methods are applied to analyse differences in morbidity associated with seasonal variations (summer versus non-summer) and variations in exposure to maximum temperature. The analysis is conducted at the district and individual levels. Impacts are specifically assessed for vulnerable sub-groups within the sample comprising of older adults, females, and outdoor workers. The results yield strong evidence that significant morbidity is associated with heat stress, with specific illnesses being observed to be particularly aggravated by heat. The incidence of hypertension and diabetes during the summer months is significantly higher at the 5% level of significance, as compared to other seasons, with sub-groups such as older adults, females and outdoor workers being particularly vulnerable. The findings from the analysis are a call to urgent adaptation policy and action on managing heat-health vulnerabilities, ranging from individual actions to policy-level measures accompanied by appropriate resource allocations.