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Gwon Y, Ji Y, Abadi AM, Rau A, Berman JD, Leeper RD, Rennie J, Nagaya R, Bell JE. The effect of heterogeneous severe drought on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the Northern Rockies and Plains of the United States. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169033. [PMID: 38065492 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Drought is a distinct and complicated climate hazard that regularly leads to severe economic impacts. Changes in the frequency and occurrence of drought due to anthropogenic climate change can lead to new and unanticipated outcomes. To better prepare for health outcomes, more research is needed to develop methodologies to understand potential consequences. This study suggests a new methodology for assessing the impact of monthly severe drought exposure on mortality in the Northern Rockies and Plains of the United States from 2000 to 2018. A two-stage model with the power prior approach was applied to integrate heterogeneous severe drought pattern and estimate overall risk ratios of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality related to multiple drought indices (the US Drought Monitor, 6- and 12-month Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index, 6- and 12 month Evaporative Demand Drought Index). Under severe drought, the risk ratios of all-cause mortality are 1.050 (95 % Cr: 1.031 to 1.071, USDM), 1.041 (95 % Cr: 1.022 to 1.060, 6-SPEI), 1.009 (95 % Cr: 0.989 to 1.031, 12SPEI), 1.045 (95 % Cr: 1.022 to 1.067, 6-EDDI), and 1.035 (95 % Cr: 1.009 to 1.062, 12-EDDI); cardiovascular mortality are 1.057 (95 % Cr: 1.023 to 1.091, USDM), 1.028 (95 % Cr: 0.998 to 1.059, 6-SPEI), 1.005 (95 % Cr: 0.973 to 1.040, 12-SPEI), 1.042 (95 % Cr: 1.005 to 1.080, 6-EDDI), and 1.004 (95 % Cr: 0.959 to 1.049, 12-EDDI). Our results showed that (i) a model with properly accounted for heterogeneous exposure pattern had greater risk ratios if statistically significant; (ii) a mid-term (6-month) severe drought had higher risk ratios compared to longer-term (12-month) drought; and (iii) different severe droughts affect populations in a different way. These results expand the existing knowledge of drought relationship to increasing mortality in the United States. The findings from this study highlight the need for communities and policymakers to establish effective drought-prevention initiatives in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeongjin Gwon
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198, NE, USA; Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68588, NE, USA.
| | - Yuanyuan Ji
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198, NE, USA
| | - Azar M Abadi
- Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Alabama, Birmingham 35233, AL, USA
| | - Austin Rau
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, MN, USA
| | - Jesse D Berman
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, MN, USA
| | - Ronald D Leeper
- North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695, NC, USA
| | - Jared Rennie
- National Centers for Environmental Information, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, Asheveille, 28801, NC, USA
| | - Richard Nagaya
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198, NE, USA
| | - Jesse E Bell
- Department of Environmental, Agriculture, Occupational and Health, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198, NE, USA; Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68588, NE, USA; School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68588, NE, USA
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Chen H, Tuo Y, Xu CY, Disse M. Compound events of wet and dry extremes: Identification, variations, and risky patterns. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167088. [PMID: 37716678 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
Compound hydrometeorological extremes have been widely examined under climate change, they have significant impacts on ecological and societal well-being. This study sheds light on a new category compound of contrasting extremes, namely compounding wet and dry extremes (CWDEs). The CWDEs are characterized as devastating dry events (EDs) accompanied by wet extremes (EWs) in a given time window. Notably, we first adopt a separate system to identify coinciding events considering the different evolving processes and impacting patterns of EDs and EWs. The peak-over-threshold and standardized index methods are used in a daily and monthly window to identify EWs and EDs respectively. Furthermore, the spatial-temporal changes and risky patterns of CWDEs are revealed by using the Mann-Kendall test, the Ordinary Least Squares, and the Global and Local Moran indices. Germany is the study case. As one major finding, the results indicate a pronounced seasonal effect and spatial clustering pattern of CWDEs. The summer is the most vulnerable period for CWDEs, and the spatial hotspots are mainly located in the southern tip of Germany, as well as in the vicinity of the capital city Berlin. Besides, robust uptrends in CWDEs across all evaluation metrics have been discovered in historical periods, and the moist climate and complex geography collectively contribute to severe CWDEs. Unexpectedly, the study finds that compounding events in dry regions are mainly driven by wet extremes, whereas they show a higher dependency on dry anomalies in wet regions. The research provides new insights into compound extremes which are composed of individual hazards with distinct features. Related findings will aid decision-makers in producing effective risk mitigation plans for prioritizing vulnerable regions. Lastly, the robust framework and open access data allow for extensive exploration of various compounding hazards in different regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Chen
- Hydrology and River Basin Management, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Ye Tuo
- Hydrology and River Basin Management, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Chong-Yu Xu
- Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Markus Disse
- Hydrology and River Basin Management, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Li Y, Sun J, Lei R, Zheng J, Tian X, Xue B, Luo B. The Interactive Effects between Drought and Air Pollutants on Children's Upper Respiratory Tract Infection: A Time-Series Analysis in Gansu, China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1959. [PMID: 36767324 PMCID: PMC9915313 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
As a destructive and economic disaster in the world, drought shows an increasing trend under the continuous global climate change and adverse health effects have been reported. The interactive effects between drought and air pollutants, which may also be harmful to respiratory systems, remain to be discussed. We built the generalized additive model (GAM) and distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) to estimate the effects of drought and air pollutants on daily upper respiratory infections (URTI) outpatient visits among children under 6 in three cities of Gansu province. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) based on monthly precipitation (SPI-1) was used as an indicator of drought. A non-stratified model was established to explore the interaction effect of SPI-1 and air pollutants. We illustrated the number of daily pediatric URTI outpatient visits increased with the decrease in SPI-1. The interactive effects between air pollutants and the number of daily pediatric URTIs were significant. According to the non-stratified model, we revealed highly polluted and drought environments had the most significant impact on URTI in children. The occurrence of drought and air pollutants increased URTI in children and exhibited a significant interactive effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlin Li
- Institute of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jianyun Sun
- Gansu Provincial Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ruoyi Lei
- Institute of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Institute of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiaoyu Tian
- Institute of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Baode Xue
- Institute of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Bin Luo
- Institute of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Meteorology and Health, Shanghai Meteorological Bureau, Shanghai 200030, China
- Shanghai Typhoon Institute, China Meteorological Administration, Shanghai 200030, China
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4
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Changes in Weather-Related Fatalities in the Czech Republic during the 1961–2020 Period. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13050688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Fatalities associated with severe weather, collected from newspapers and other documentary sources, were used to create a corresponding database for the 1961–2020 period for the Czech Republic. Fatalities attributed to floods, windstorms, convective storms, snow and glaze ice, frost, fog, and other severe weather, on the one hand, and vehicle accident fatalities connected with rain, snow, glaze ice, fog, and inclement weather, on the other, were analysed separately for two standard periods, 1961–1990 and 1991–2020. The number of weather-related fatalities between these two periods increased in the flood, windstorm, and especially frost categories, and decreased for the convective storm and fog categories. For snow and glaze ice they were the same. Despite significant differences in both 30-year periods, the highest proportions of fatalities corresponded to the winter months, and in individual fatality characteristics to males, adults, direct deaths, deaths by freezing or hypothermia, and to hazardous behaviour. A statistically significant (p < 0.05) Spearman rank correlation between fatalities and climate variables was only found in the 1991–2020 period for snow/glaze ice-related fatalities, with the number of days with snow cover depth and frost-related fatalities having days with daily minimum temperatures below −5 °C or −10 °C. Despite the highest proportions of the rain and wet road categories being in the number of vehicle accident fatalities, a statistically significant correlation was only found for the category of snow-related fatalities in the number of days with snowfall. The results and conclusions of this study have to be evaluated in the broader context of climatological, political, economic, and societal changes within the country, and have the potential to be used in risk management.
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Alam I, Otani S, Nagata A, Khan MS, Masumoto T, Amano H, Kurozawa Y. Short- and Long-Term Effects of Drought on Selected Causes of Mortality in Northern Bangladesh. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19063425. [PMID: 35329111 PMCID: PMC8951054 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Drought has exacerbated morbidity and mortality worldwide. Here, a time series study was conducted in northern Bangladesh to evaluate the impact of drought on selected causes of mortality during 2007-2017. Rainfall and temperature data from six meteorological stations were used to analyze drought and non-drought periods and to categorize mild, moderate, severe, and extreme drought based on the 3-month and 12-month Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation Evaporation Index (SPEI). A generalized linear model with Poisson regression with log link, a negative binomial with log link, and a zero-inflated Poisson model were used to determine associations between drought severity and mortality. The SPI and SPEI produced slightly different analysis results. Compared with the SPEI, the SPI showed a stronger and more sensitive correlation with mortality. The relative risk for respiratory disease mortality was high, and Saidpur was the most vulnerable area. Health care expenditure was negatively associated with mortality. High temperatures during the drought period were associated with suicide-related mortality in Rajshahi. The impact of drought on mortality differed with small changes in climate. The findings of this study improve our understanding of the differences between the two most used drought indicators and the impact of drought on mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Intekhab Alam
- Division of Health Administration and Promotion, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan; (I.A.); (T.M.); (H.A.); (Y.K.)
| | - Shinji Otani
- International Platform for Dryland Research and Education, Tottori University, Yonago 680-0001, Japan;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-859-38-6113
| | - Abir Nagata
- Department of Regenerative Dermatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan;
| | - Mohammad Shahriar Khan
- International Platform for Dryland Research and Education, Tottori University, Yonago 680-0001, Japan;
| | - Toshio Masumoto
- Division of Health Administration and Promotion, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan; (I.A.); (T.M.); (H.A.); (Y.K.)
| | - Hiroki Amano
- Division of Health Administration and Promotion, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan; (I.A.); (T.M.); (H.A.); (Y.K.)
| | - Youichi Kurozawa
- Division of Health Administration and Promotion, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan; (I.A.); (T.M.); (H.A.); (Y.K.)
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Salvador C, Vicedo‐Cabrera AM, Libonati R, Russo A, Garcia BN, Belem LBC, Gimeno L, Nieto R. Effects of Drought on Mortality in Macro Urban Areas of Brazil Between 2000 and 2019. GEOHEALTH 2022; 6:e2021GH000534. [PMID: 35280229 PMCID: PMC8902811 DOI: 10.1029/2021gh000534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A significant fraction of Brazil's population has been exposed to drought in recent years, a situation that is expected to worsen in frequency and intensity due to climate change. This constitutes a current key environmental health concern, especially in densely urban areas such as several big cities and suburbs. For the first time, a comprehensive assessment of the short-term drought effects on weekly non-external, circulatory, and respiratory mortality was conducted in 13 major Brazilian macro-urban areas across 2000-2019. We applied quasi-Poisson regression models adjusted by temperature to explore the association between drought (defined by the Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index) and the different mortality causes by location, sex, and age groups. We next conducted multivariate meta-analytical models separated by cause and population groups to pool individual estimates. Impact measures were expressed as the attributable fractions among the exposed population, from the relative risks (RRs). Overall, a positive association between drought exposure and mortality was evidenced in the total population, with RRs varying from 1.003 [95% CI: 0.999-1.007] to 1.010 [0.996-1.025] for non-external mortality related to moderate and extreme drought conditions, from 1.002 [0.997-1.007] to 1.008 [0.991-1.026] for circulatory mortality, and from 1.004 [0.995-1.013] to 1.013 [0.983-1.044] for respiratory mortality. Females, children, and the elderly population were the most affected groups, for whom a robust positive association was found. The study also revealed high heterogeneity between locations. We suggest that policies and action plans should pay special attention to vulnerable populations to promote efficient measures to reduce vulnerability and risks associated with droughts.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Salvador
- Centro de Investigación MariñaUniversidade de VigoEnvironmental Physics Laboratory (EPhysLab)OurenseSpain
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM)University of BernBernSwitzerland
- Oeschger Center for Climate Change ResearchUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - A. M. Vicedo‐Cabrera
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM)University of BernBernSwitzerland
- Oeschger Center for Climate Change ResearchUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - R. Libonati
- Departamento de MeteorologiaUniversidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroBrazil
- Instituto Dom Luíz (IDL)Faculdade de CiênciasUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | - A. Russo
- Instituto Dom Luíz (IDL)Faculdade de CiênciasUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | - B. N. Garcia
- Departamento de MeteorologiaUniversidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - L. B. C. Belem
- Departamento de MeteorologiaUniversidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - L. Gimeno
- Centro de Investigación MariñaUniversidade de VigoEnvironmental Physics Laboratory (EPhysLab)OurenseSpain
| | - R. Nieto
- Centro de Investigación MariñaUniversidade de VigoEnvironmental Physics Laboratory (EPhysLab)OurenseSpain
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Lu H, He H, Liu Q, Cai J, Mo C, Liu S, Chen S, Xu X, Tang X, Qin J, Zhang Z. Geographical distinctions of longevity indicators and their correlation with climatic factors in the area where most Chinese Yao are distributed. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2022; 66:97-110. [PMID: 34668027 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-021-02195-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Longevity research is a hot topic in the health field. Considerable research focuses on longevity phenomenon in Bama Yao Autonomous County, which has a typical karst landform and is located in Southwest China. This study aims to illustrate the spatial feature of longevity indicators in other Yao areas, to analyze the correlation between climatic factors and longevity indicators, and to provide new clues and targets for further longevity studies. We collect and integrate population, climate, and terrain data into a spatial database. The main analysis methods include spatial autocorrelation, high/low clustering, and multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR). Two longevity clusters are identified in Guijiang River Basin (longevity index (LI%): 2.49 ± 0.63) and Liujiang River Basin (LI%: 2.13 ± 0.60). The spatial distribution of longevity indicators is autocorrelative (Moran's I = 0.652, p < 0.001) and clustered significantly (Z score = 4.268, p < 0.001). MGWR shows that the atmospheric pressure significantly affects the spatial distribution of LI% (estimate value (EV) = - 0.566, p = 0.012), centenarity index (CI%) (EV = - 0.425, p = 0.007), UC (EV = - 0.502, p = 0.006), and CH (EV = - 0.497, p = 0.007). Rainfall significantly affects the spatial distribution of LI% (EV = 0.300, p = 0.003) and CI% (EV = - 0.191, p = 0.016). The spatial distribution of the main longevity indicators shows significant heterogeneity and autocorrelation, and they cluster in the Guijiang River and Liujiang River basins. Atmospheric pressure and rainfall may contribute to the longevity phenomenon through complex mechanisms. The longevity phenomenon in the Yao nationality in Guijiang River Basin requires further study to improve our understanding of the health effect of meteorological, environmental, and social conditions on longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaxiang Lu
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
- Department of Guangxi Science and Technology Major Project, Guangxi Center of Diseases Prevention and Control, 18 Jinzhou Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Haoyu He
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
- College of Stomatology, Guangxi Medical University, 10 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Qiumei Liu
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Jiansheng Cai
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
- School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, 20 Lequn Road, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Chunbao Mo
- School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, 20 Lequn Road, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Shuzhen Liu
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Shiyi Chen
- School of Public Health, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 179 Mingxiu Dong Rd., Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Xia Xu
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Xu Tang
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Jian Qin
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Zhiyong Zhang
- School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.
- School of Public Health, Guilin Medical University, 20 Lequn Road, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.
- Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Medical University, 10 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.
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Weilnhammer V, Schmid J, Mittermeier I, Schreiber F, Jiang L, Pastuhovic V, Herr C, Heinze S. Extreme weather events in europe and their health consequences - A systematic review. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2021; 233:113688. [PMID: 33530011 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to climate change, the frequency, intensity and severity of extreme weather events, such as heat waves, cold waves, storms, heavy precipitation causing wildfires, floods, and droughts are increasing, which could adversely affect human health. The purpose of this systematic review is therefore to assess the current literature about the association between these extreme weather events and their impact on the health of the European population. METHODS Observational studies published from January 1, 2007 to May 17, 2020 on health effects of extreme weather events in Europe were searched systematically in Medline, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The exposures of interest included extreme temperature, heat waves, cold waves, droughts, floods, storms and wildfires. The health impacts included total mortality, cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, respiratory mortality and morbidity, and mental health. We conducted the systematic review following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis). The quality of the included studies was assessed using the NICE quality appraisal checklist (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). RESULTS The search yielded 1472 articles, of which 35 met the inclusion criteria and were included in our review. Studies regarding five extreme weather events (extreme heat events, extreme cold events, wildfires, floods, droughts) were found. A positive association between extreme heat/cold events and overall, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality was reported from most studies. Wildfires are likely to increase the overall and cardiovascular mortality. Floods might be associated with the deterioration of mental health instead of mortality. Depending on their length, droughts could have an influence on both respiratory and cardiovascular mortality. Contradictory evidence was found in heat-associated morbidity and wildfire-associated respiratory mortality. The associations are inconclusive due to the heterogeneous study designs, study quality, exposure and outcome assessment. CONCLUSIONS Evidence from most of the included studies showed that extreme heat and cold events, droughts, wildfires and floods in Europe have negative impacts on human health including mental health, although some of the associations are not conclusive. Additional high-quality studies are needed to confirm our results and further studies regarding the effects of other extreme weather events in Europe are to be expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Weilnhammer
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Germany.
| | - Jonas Schmid
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Germany; TUM Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Isabella Mittermeier
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Germany
| | - Fabian Schreiber
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Germany
| | - Linmiao Jiang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Germany; Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology (IBE) at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Vedran Pastuhovic
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Germany; Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology (IBE) at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Caroline Herr
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Germany; Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Clinical Centre of the Ludwig-Maximilians- University Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Heinze
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Germany; Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Clinical Centre of the Ludwig-Maximilians- University Munich, Germany
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Salvador C, Nieto R, Linares C, Díaz J, Gimeno L. Quantification of the Effects of Droughts on Daily Mortality in Spain at Different Timescales at Regional and National Levels: A Meta-Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17176114. [PMID: 32842642 PMCID: PMC7504151 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17176114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
A performance assessment of two different indices (the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI)) for monitoring short-term and short–medium-term drought impacts on daily specific-cause mortality in Spain was conducted. To achieve a comprehensive, nationwide view, a meta-analysis was performed using a combination of provincial relative risks (RRs). Moreover, the subdivisions of Spain based on administrative, climatic, and demographic criteria to obtain the measures of combined risks were also taken into account. The results of the SPEI and SPI calculated at the same timescale were similar. Both showed that longer drought events produced greater RR values, for respiratory mortality. However, at the local administrative level, Galicia, Castilla-y-Leon, and Extremadura showed the greatest risk of daily mortality associated with drought episodes, with Andalucía, País Vasco, and other communities being notably impacted. Based on climatic regionalization, Northwest, Central, and Southern Spain were the regions most affected by different drought conditions for all analyzed causes of daily mortality, while the Mediterranean coastal region was less affected. Demographically, the regions with the highest proportion of people aged 65 years of age and over reflected the greatest risk of daily natural, circulatory, and respiratory mortality associated with drought episodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coral Salvador
- EPhysLab (Environmental Physics Laboratory), CIM-UVIGO, Universidade de Vigo, 32004 Ourense, Spain; (R.N.); (L.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Raquel Nieto
- EPhysLab (Environmental Physics Laboratory), CIM-UVIGO, Universidade de Vigo, 32004 Ourense, Spain; (R.N.); (L.G.)
| | - Cristina Linares
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Carlos III National Institute of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ISCIII), National School of Public Health, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (C.L.); (J.D.)
| | - Julio Díaz
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Carlos III National Institute of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ISCIII), National School of Public Health, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (C.L.); (J.D.)
| | - Luis Gimeno
- EPhysLab (Environmental Physics Laboratory), CIM-UVIGO, Universidade de Vigo, 32004 Ourense, Spain; (R.N.); (L.G.)
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