Title: Rethinking Heat Risk: A Community-Partnered, Digitally Integrated Toolkit for Heat Illness Screening

Authors: Milan V. Carter, BS (1), Beza Mengistu, BS (1), Gladys Bello, BS (1), Gerardo Arteaga, BA (1), Ann Marie Hernandez, MD (2) and Gerardo Moreno, MD (2), Sherill Brown, MD (2)

Affiliations: (1) David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA (2) Department of Family Medicine at UCLA (3) AltaMed Health Services

Area of Concentration (Petal): PRIME Petal

Specialty (if any): Family Medicine

Keywords: Heat-related illness, health equity, community partnership, heat illness, patient education, health screening

Background: Urban heat islands can reach temperatures 15°F higher than surrounding areas, placing low-income and minority communities at elevated risk. These groups are disproportionately affected by heat-related illness (HRI), especially chronically ill patients, pregnant individuals, and those adversely impacted by social determinants of health (SDOH). Yet, fewer than 5% of clinical screening tools address environmental health. In response, we partnered with AltaMed and PRIME-LA to co-develop a culturally informed, SDOH-integrated toolkit for HRI screening in clinical workflows.

Objectives: To assess current provider screening practices for HRI, identify barriers, and co-develop a culturally tailored toolkit for clinical integrations.

Design: This mixed-methods project at AltaMed clinics began with stakeholder meetings to identify gaps with clinicians, medical students, academic researchers, and a patient advisory board. Insights informed a 13-question provider survey assessing screening behaviors, barriers, and educational needs. Survey findings informed the adaptation of the CDC CHILL’D OUT guide to meet AltaMed’s population needs. Physician education will be delivered at grand rounds with pre- and post-surveys analyzed using descriptive statistics. Patient-facing toolkits are being co-developed with patient feedback to ensure cultural relevance.

Impact/Effectiveness: Stakeholder input revealed a gap between provider awareness and routine HRI screening, shaping targeted interventions. This project elevates environmental health as a clinical priority and offers a model for integrating HRI screening into clinical workflows.

Lessons Learned: Efforts highlighted the importance of building trust and accountability in community partnerships. Balancing innovation with clinical feasibility remains challenging, particularly in resource-constrained settings.

Summary: Community-partnered approaches can inform culturally relevant screening tools for HRI in high-risk populations. Preliminary findings suggest low screening rates and limited provider awareness, revealing a critical care gap. Integrating SDOH via EHR prompts and educational toolkits can support early screening. By centering community voices and cultural relevance, this project advances a more equitable approach to environmental health care.