Urban Heat Inequality: Social Stratification, Policy, and Health Outcomes

Nanyonjo Sauda

Science Education Kampala International University Uganda

Email nanyonjosauda@kiu.ac.ug

                                                                                               ABSTRACT
Urban heat islands (UHIs) amplify the effects of climate change in cities, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. Social stratification, including income, race/ethnicity, housing tenure, and occupation, shapes differential exposure to extreme heat, mediates adaptive capacity, and contributes to inequities in health outcomes. Vulnerable populations residing in low-quality housing or neighborhoods with limited greenness face higher indoor and outdoor heat exposure, leading to increased cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, and mental health risks. This review examines the mechanisms linking urban heat, social stratification, and health, highlighting measurement strategies, data gaps, and methodological challenges. It further explores policy and intervention strategies, including equity-oriented urban planning, access to cooling, and community engagement, to mitigate heat-related health disparities. Addressing urban heat inequality requires interdisciplinary approaches that integrate social, environmental, and policy dimensions to promote climate justice and protect public health.

Keywords: Urban Heat Islands (UHI), Social Stratification, Climate Justice, Health Inequities, and Adaptive
Capacity.

CITE AS: Nanyonjo Sauda (2026). Urban Heat Inequality: Social Stratification, Policy, and Health Outcomes. NEWPORT INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CURRENT RESEARCH IN HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, 6(1):42-52. https://doi.org/10.59298/NIJCRHSS/2025/61.4252