The poorer you are the more likely you are to succumb to the heat
Poorer people bear brunt of extreme heat in Europe, say Spanish researchers Madrid study finds people from below-average income groups more likely to die in heatwaves Scorching temperatures across Europe have killed tens of thousands of people in recent years. But as fatalities rise, researchers are finding that one group is disproportionately bearing the brunt of extreme heat: those living in poverty. “It’s common sense,” said Julio Díaz Jiménez, an investigative professor at Madrid’s Carlos III health institute. “A heatwave is not the same when you’re in a shared room with three other people and no air conditioning, as when you’re in a villa with access to a pool and air conditioning.” Díaz Jiménez is among a group of researchers who explored how extreme heat had affected 17 districts in Madrid. Their paper, published in 2020, found that heatwaves had an impact on mortality in just three districts – those where household incomes were below average. They followed up with a sim