Summary

Drexel University received a $560,180 Project Grant award from the National Institute on Aging (CFDA 93.866 – Aging Research) beginning February 15, 2026 and concluding January 31, 2031. The grant supports comprehensive research investigating temperature-related mortality in U.S. state prisons, addressing a critical gap in understanding how extreme indoor temperatures in correctional facilities affect incarcerated populations' health outcomes. The research leverages building science methodologies and a unique database of prison conditions to develop the first estimates of daily indoor temperatures across the 20 largest state prison systems, encompassing over 600 facilities and approximately 800,000 incarcerated adults.

The project deliverables include three primary research aims: (1) developing state-of-the-art estimates of indoor temperature and humidity conditions linked with mortality data to examine associations with excess cardiovascular and respiratory disease mortality; (2) evaluating prison overcrowding and inadequate air-conditioning as risk factors elevating temperature-related mortality; and (3) applying legal epidemiologic methods to develop a comprehensive database of findings. This research directly supports the National Institute on Aging's mission to advance understanding of age-related health conditions, particularly as incarcerated adults over age 55 represent the fastest-growing prison cohort and experience disproportionately high mortality rates from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.