New multi-country heat health equity assessments reveal striking disparities in heat vulnerability among women, driven by interconnected risk factors that public health systems have historically underestimated. Occupational exposure to outdoor and industrial work tops the list at 78 percent, followed closely by medication effects at 72 percent—antihistamines and antidepressants both impair the body’s ability to dissipate heat effectively. Unpaid caregiving responsibilities that prevent heat avoidance affect 65 percent of women, while physiological differences in thermoregulation account for 58 percent of vulnerability. Economic constraints on cooling access round out the picture at 52 percent. These overlapping pathways create a compounding effect that places women at substantially higher risk during heatwaves. The data underscores an urgent need for targeted, evidence-based interventions.
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