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Residential indoor temperatures and health: A scoping review of observational studies
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Residential indoor temperatures and health: A scoping review of observational studies

Janelle R. Edwards, Anneclaire J. De Roos, Chima C. Hampo, Wanyu Huang, Emily Lincoln, Simi Hoque and Leah H. Schinasi
The Science of the total environment, v 979, 179377
01 Jun 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179377
Featured in Collection :   Research Supported by Drexel Libraries' OA Programs
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179377View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Open Access via Drexel Libraries Read and Publish Program 2025CC BY V4.0,  Open

Abstract

Heat Indoor temperature Morbidity Mortality Residential environments Safe thresholds Climate Change Epidemiology Housing
Adults spend most of their time indoors, especially in higher income countries. Indoor temperature exposures can vary substantially across households, even within a single geographic area. It is therefore critical to understand links between indoor temperature exposures and health or well-being outcomes, and to understand safe maximum indoor residential temperature thresholds that support health, well-being, and comfort. We systematically identified peer-reviewed, observational studies that quantified associations between residential indoor temperatures and mortality/morbidity outcomes. We extracted information on study location; population, health or well-being outcomes; indoor temperature exposure assessment methods; and, when available, empirically quantified safe maximum indoor temperature thresholds. In total, 29 papers were included in the review. The studies were conducted in the following continents: North America (N = 10), Europe (N = 5), Asia (N = 9), Australia (N = 4), and Africa (N = 1). The most common outcomes were cardiovascular morbidity (N = 10) and respiratory morbidity (N = 8) and thermal comfort (N = 9). Exposure assessment methods included data sensors, thermometers, data-driven models, and energy-based simulations. Despite variation in exposure assessment methods and outcomes assessed, results predominately suggested that warmer indoor temperatures were associated with adverse health or well-being outcomes, although in a handful of studies, associations were either null or in the unexpected, protective direction. Empirically identified safe thresholds for indoor temperature ranged from 18 °C to 35 °C and varied according to outcome. Results from this review may be used to inform the design of future studies of associations between indoor temperatures and morbidity or mortality outcomes. [Display omitted] •We conducted a scoping review of peer reviewed observational studies of associations between warm residential indoor temperatures and health or well-being outcomes.•Indoor temperature exposure assessment methods included sensors, thermometers, data-driven models, and physics-based simulations.•Empirically identified safe maximum temperature thresholds ranged from 18 °C to 35 °C, but varied according to health outcomes.•Despite varied exposure assessment methods and outcomes assessed, most, but not all studies, found that warmer indoor temperatures were associated with adverse health, well-being, or thermal comfort outcomes.

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