This study piloted a new method of surveillance to provide information on environmental, personal and behavioural risk factors for people presenting to hospital emergency departments (EDs) with heat illness. The retrospective case series and telephone interview study of 129 people presenting to EDs with heat illness across Western Sydney heat illness over the 2017/18 and 2018/19 summer periods found that almost all individuals were exposed to heat outside their home environment including in paid work, outdoor housework, and outdoor recreational activities.

The authors suggest that if  we are to adapt to the growing threat of increasing frequency, duration, and intensity of heat events due to climate change, we need better data to understand the interaction between personal factors, home and neighbourhood environments and behaviour. With modification, surveillance methods could enhance our understanding of risk and contribute to the evidence base to support changes to protect those at risk.