Boston study tests free AC and power subsidies to protect seniors from heat
NCT ID NCT06982339
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study is testing whether giving air conditioners and a $100 electricity subsidy to older adults in Boston neighborhoods can reduce heat stress, heat strain, and related health problems. One hundred participants aged 55-95 who don't have AC will be randomly assigned to receive the intervention in either the first or second summer. Researchers will track indoor temperatures, AC use, and health via surveys.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Air conditioner and electricity subsidy
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that providing air conditioners and financial help with electricity costs reduces heat-related health problems in older adults.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with 100 participants in specific Boston neighborhoods, so results may not apply broadly. Heat stress is measured by surveys, not clinical outcomes.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
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