Aging is unavoidable, but you may be taking years off your life depending on where you live. About a decade ago, researchers began observing a steep increase in the number of heat-related deaths across the U.S.
UT San Antonio public health researcher Jeffrey Howard studies how trauma impacts aging. He began by tracking the impact of trauma on military veterans after enduring combat injuries. Those traumas caused the veterans to experience an accelerated aging process.
Later, he explored how other traumas have similar impacts on civilians — from maternal health to intimate partner violence. One of the most prevalent public health threats that Howard studies is our exposure to extreme heat.
“The characteristics of your immediate environment have a lot to do with your aging process,” Howard explained.
Listen to the newest episode of Launchpad: Voices of UT San Antonio, as Howard describes how prolonged heat exposure affects a person’s long-term health.
Launchpad is available on Apple, Spotify, SoundCloud and YouTube.
