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Corvetto JF, Helou AY, Kriit HK, Federspiel A, Bunker A, Liyanage P, Costa LF, Müller T, Sauerborn R. Private vs. public emergency visits for mental health due to heat: An indirect socioeconomic assessment of heat vulnerability and healthcare access, in Curitiba, Brazil. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 934:173312. [PMID: 38761938 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173312] [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: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Few studies have explored the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on the heat vulnerability of mental health (MH) patients. As individual socioeconomic data was unavailable, we aimed to fill this gap by using the healthcare system type as a proxy for SES. Brazilian national statistics indicate that public patients have lower SES than private. Therefore, we compared the risk of emergency department visits (EDVs) for MH between patients from both healthcare types. EDVs for MH disorders from all nine public (101,452 visits) and one large private facility (154,954) in Curitiba were assessed (2017-2021). Daily mean temperature was gathered and weighed from 3 stations. Distributed-lag non-linear model with quasi-Poisson (maximum 10-lags) was used to assess the risk. We stratified by private and public, age, and gender under moderate and extreme heat. Additionally, we calculated the attributable fraction (AF), which translates individual risks into population-representative burdens - especially useful for public policies. Random-effects meta-regression pooled the risk estimates between healthcare systems. Public patients showed significant risks immediately as temperatures started to increase. Their cumulative relative risk (RR) of MH-EDV was 7.5 % higher than the private patients (Q-Test 26.2 %) under moderate heat, suggesting their particular heat vulnerability. Differently, private patients showed significant risks only under extreme heat, when their RR became 4.3 % higher than public (Q-Test 6.2 %). These findings suggest that private patients have a relatively greater adaptation capacity to heat. However, when faced with extreme heat, their current adaptation means were potentially insufficient, so they needed and could access healthcare freely, unlike their public counterparts. MH patients would benefit from measures to reduce heat vulnerability and access barriers, increasing equity between the healthcare systems in Brazil. AF of EDVs due to extreme heat was 0.33 % (95%CI 0.16;0.50) for the total sample (859 EDVs). This corroborates that such broad population-level policies are urgently needed as climate change progresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia F Corvetto
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Germany.
| | - Ammir Y Helou
- Laboratory of Chemical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Hedi K Kriit
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Germany; Section of Sustainable Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Aditi Bunker
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Prasad Liyanage
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Müller
- Private Psychiatric Hospital Meiringen, 3860 Meiringen, Switzerland; Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, 3000, Bern 60, Switzerland
| | - Rainer Sauerborn
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Germany
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Azzouz M, Hasan Z, Rahman MM, Gauderman WJ, Lorenzo M, Lurmann FW, Eckel SP, Palinkas L, Johnston J, Hurlburt M, Silva SJ, Schlaerth H, Ko J, Ban-Weiss G, McConnell R, Stockfelt L, Garcia E. Does socioeconomic and environmental burden affect vulnerability to extreme air pollution and heat? A case-crossover study of mortality in California. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41370-024-00676-9. [PMID: 38714894 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-024-00676-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extreme heat and air pollution is associated with increased mortality. Recent evidence suggests the combined effects of both is greater than the effects of each individual exposure. Low neighborhood socioeconomic status ("socioeconomic burden") has also been associated with increased exposure and vulnerability to both heat and air pollution. We investigated if neighborhood socioeconomic burden or the combination of socioeconomic and environmental exposures ("socioenvironmental burden") modified the effect of combined exposure to extreme heat and particulate air pollution on mortality in California. METHODS We used a time-stratified case-crossover design to assess the impact of daily exposure to extreme particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM2.5) and heat on cardiovascular, respiratory, and all-cause mortality in California 2014-2019. Daily average PM2.5 and maximum temperatures based on decedent's residential census tract were dichotomized as extreme or not. Census tract-level socioenvironmental and socioeconomic burden was assessed with the CalEnviroScreen (CES) score and a social deprivation index (SDI), and individual educational attainment was derived from death certificates. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate associations of heat and PM2.5 with mortality with a product term used to evaluate effect measure modification. RESULTS During the study period 1,514,292 all-cause deaths could be assigned residential exposures. Extreme heat and air pollution alone and combined were associated with increased mortality, matching prior reports. Decedents in census tracts with higher socioenvironmental and socioeconomic burden experienced more days with extreme PM2.5 exposure. However, we found no consistent effect measure modification by CES or SDI on combined or separate extreme heat and PM2.5 exposure on odds of total, cardiovascular or respiratory mortality. No effect measure modification was observed for individual education attainment. CONCLUSION We did not find evidence that neighborhood socioenvironmental- or socioeconomic burden significantly influenced the individual or combined impact of extreme exposures to heat and PM2.5 on mortality in California. IMPACT We investigated the effect measure modification by socioeconomic and socioenvironmental of the co-occurrence of heat and PM2.5, which adds support to the limited previous literature on effect measure modification by socioeconomic and socioenvironmental burden of heat alone and PM2.5 alone. We found no consistent effect measure modification by neighborhood socioenvironmental and socioeconomic burden or individual level SES of the mortality association with extreme heat and PM2.5 co-exposure. However, we did find increased number of days with extreme PM2.5 exposure in neighborhoods with high socioenvironmental and socioeconomic burden. We evaluated multiple area-level and an individual-level SES and socioenvironmental burden metrics, each estimating socioenvironmental factors differently, making our conclusion more robust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehjar Azzouz
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Zainab Hasan
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Md Mostafijur Rahman
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - W James Gauderman
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Melissa Lorenzo
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Sandrah P Eckel
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lawrence Palinkas
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jill Johnston
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael Hurlburt
- Suzanne Dworak Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sam J Silva
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hannah Schlaerth
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joseph Ko
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Columbia Climate School, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - George Ban-Weiss
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rob McConnell
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Leo Stockfelt
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Erika Garcia
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Achebak H, Rey G, Chen ZY, Lloyd SJ, Quijal-Zamorano M, Méndez-Turrubiates RF, Ballester J. Heat Exposure and Cause-Specific Hospital Admissions in Spain: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:57009. [PMID: 38775486 PMCID: PMC11110655 DOI: 10.1289/ehp13254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND More frequent and intense exposure to extreme heat conditions poses a serious threat to public health. However, evidence on the association between heat and specific diagnoses of morbidity is still limited. We aimed to comprehensively assess the short-term association between cause-specific hospital admissions and high temperature, including the added effect of temperature variability and heat waves and the effect modification by humidity and air pollution. METHODS We used data on cause-specific hospital admissions, weather (i.e., temperature and relative humidity), and air pollution [i.e., fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μ m (PM 2.5 ), fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μ m (PM 10 ), NO 2 , and ozone (O 3 )] for 48 provinces in mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2019. The statistical analysis was performed for the summer season (June-September) and consisted of two steps. We first applied quasi-Poisson generalized linear regression models in combination with distributed lag nonlinear models (DLNM) to estimate province-specific temperature-morbidity associations, which were then pooled through multilevel univariate/multivariate random-effect meta-analysis. RESULTS High temperature had a generalized impact on cause-specific hospitalizations, while the added effect of temperature variability [i.e., diurnal temperature range (DTR)] and heat waves was limited to a reduced number of diagnoses. The strongest impact of heat was observed for metabolic disorders and obesity [relative risk (RR) = 1.978; 95% empirical confidence interval (eCI): 1.772, 2.208], followed by renal failure (1.777; 95% eCI: 1.629, 1.939), urinary tract infection (1.746; 95% eCI: 1.578, 1.933), sepsis (1.543; 95% eCI: 1.387, 1.718), urolithiasis (1.490; 95% eCI: 1.338, 1.658), and poisoning by drugs and nonmedicinal substances (1.470; 95% eCI: 1.298, 1.665). We also found differences by sex (depending on the diagnosis of hospitalization) and age (very young children and the elderly were more at risk). Humidity played a role in the association of heat with hospitalizations from acute bronchitis and bronchiolitis and diseases of the muscular system and connective tissue, which were higher in dry days. Moreover, heat-related effects were exacerbated on high pollution days for metabolic disorders and obesity (PM 2.5 ) and diabetes (PM 10 , O 3 ). DISCUSSION Short-term exposure to heat was found to be associated with new diagnoses (e.g., metabolic diseases and obesity, blood diseases, acute bronchitis and bronchiolitis, muscular and connective tissue diseases, poisoning by drugs and nonmedicinal substances, complications of surgical and medical care, and symptoms, signs, and ill-defined conditions) and previously identified diagnoses of hospital admissions. The characterization of the vulnerability to heat can help improve clinical and public health practices to reduce the health risks posed by a warming planet. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13254.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hicham Achebak
- Inserm, France Cohortes, Paris, France
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
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Wu Y, Wen B, Gasparrini A, Armstrong B, Sera F, Lavigne E, Li S, Guo Y. Temperature frequency and mortality: Assessing adaptation to local temperature. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 187:108691. [PMID: 38718673 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108691] [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: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Assessing the association between temperature frequency and mortality can provide insights into human adaptation to local ambient temperatures. We collected daily time-series data on mortality and temperature from 757 locations in 47 countries/regions during 1979-2020. We used a two-stage time series design to assess the association between temperature frequency and all-cause mortality. The results were pooled at the national, regional, and global levels. We observed a consistent decrease in the risk of mortality as the normalized frequency of temperature increases across the globe. The average increase in mortality risk comparing the 10th to 100th percentile of normalized frequency was 13.03% (95% CI: 12.17-13.91), with substantial regional differences (from 4.56% in Australia and New Zealand to 33.06% in South Europe). The highest increase in mortality was observed for high-income countries (13.58%, 95% CI: 12.56-14.61), followed by lower-middle-income countries (12.34%, 95% CI: 9.27-15.51). This study observed a declining risk of mortality associated with higher temperature frequency. Our findings suggest that populations can adapt to their local climate with frequent exposure, with the adapting ability varying geographically due to differences in climatic and socioeconomic characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Wu
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bo Wen
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Antonio Gasparrini
- Department of Public Health Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Centre for Statistical Methodology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; Centre On Climate Change & Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ben Armstrong
- Department of Public Health Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Francesco Sera
- Department of Statistics, Computer Science and Applications "G. Parenti", University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Eric Lavigne
- School of Epidemiology & Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Shanshan Li
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Yuming Guo
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
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Gao Y, Huang W, Yu P, Xu R, Gasevic D, Yue X, Coêlho MDSZS, Saldiva PHN, Guo Y, Li S. Wildfire-related PM 2.5 and cardiovascular mortality: A difference-in-differences analysis in Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 347:123810. [PMID: 38493867 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123810] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Brazil has experienced unprecedented wildfires recently. We aimed to investigate the association of wildfire-related fine particulate matter (PM2.5) with cause-specific cardiovascular mortality, and to estimate the attributable mortality burden. Exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5 was defined as exposure to annual mean wildfire-related PM2.5 concentrations in the 1-year prior to death. The variant difference-in-differences method was employed to explore the wildfire-related PM2.5-cardiovascular mortality association. We found that, in Brazil, compared with the population in the first quartile (Q1: ≤1.82 μg/m3) of wildfire-related PM2.5 exposure, those in the fourth quartile (Q4: 4.22-17.12 μg/m3) of wildfire-related PM2.5 exposure had a 2.2% (RR: 1.022, 95% CI: 1.013-1.032) higher risk for total cardiovascular mortality, 3.1% (RR: 1.031, 95% CI: 1.014-1.048) for ischaemic heart disease mortality, and 2.0% (RR: 1.020, 95% CI: 1.002-1.038) for stroke mortality. From 2010 to 2018, an estimation of 35,847 (95% CI: 22,424-49,177) cardiovascular deaths, representing 17.77 (95% CI: 11.12-24.38) per 100,000 population, were attributable to wildfire-related PM2.5 exposure. Targeted health promotion strategies should be developed for local governments to protect the public from the risk of wildfire-related cardiovascular premature deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Gao
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Wenzhong Huang
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Pei Yu
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Rongbin Xu
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Danijela Gasevic
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia; Centre for Global Health, Usher Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Xu Yue
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
| | | | | | - Yuming Guo
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Shanshan Li
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
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Weeda LJZ, Bradshaw CJA, Judge MA, Saraswati CM, Le Souëf PN. How climate change degrades child health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 920:170944. [PMID: 38360325 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170944] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children are more vulnerable than adults to climate-related health threats, but reviews examining how climate change affects human health have been mainly descriptive and lack an assessment of the magnitude of health effects children face. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis that identifies which climate-health relationships pose the greatest threats to children. OBJECTIVES We reviewed epidemiologic studies to analyse various child health outcomes due to climate change and identify the relationships with the largest effect size. We identify population-specific risks and provide recommendations for future research. METHODS We searched four large online databases for observational studies published up to 5 January 2023 following PRISMA (systematic review) guidelines. We evaluated each included study individually and aggregated relevant quantitative data. We used quantitative data in our meta-analysis, where we standardised effect sizes and compared them among different groupings of climate variables and health outcomes. RESULTS Of 1301 articles we identified, 163 studies were eligible for analysis. We identified many relationships between climate change and child health, the strongest of which was increasing risk (60 % on average) of preterm birth from exposure to temperature extremes. Respiratory disease, mortality, and morbidity, among others, were also influenced by climate changes. The effects of different air pollutants on health outcomes were considerably smaller compared to temperature effects, but with most (16/20 = 80 %) pollutant studies indicating at least a weak effect. Most studies occurred in high-income regions, but we found no geographical clustering according to health outcome, climate variable, or magnitude of risk. The following factors were protective of climate-related child-health threats: (i) economic stability and strength, (ii) access to quality healthcare, (iii) adequate infrastructure, and (iv) food security. Threats to these services vary by local geographical, climate, and socio-economic conditions. Children will have increased prevalence of disease due to anthropogenic climate change, and our quantification of the impact of various aspects of climate change on child health can contribute to the planning of mitigation that will improve the health of current and future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis J Z Weeda
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Corey J A Bradshaw
- Global Ecology | Partuyarta Ngadluku Wardli Kuu, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, EpicAustralia.org.au, Australia
| | - Melinda A Judge
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | | | - Peter N Le Souëf
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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Corvetto JF, Federspiel A, Sewe MO, Müller T, Bunker A, Sauerborn R. Impact of heat on mental health emergency visits: a time series study from all public emergency centres, in Curitiba, Brazil. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e079049. [PMID: 38135317 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Quantify the risk of mental health (MH)-related emergency department visits (EDVs) due to heat, in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. DESIGN Daily time series analysis, using quasi-Poisson combined with distributed lag non-linear model on EDV for MH disorders, from 2017 to 2021. SETTING All nine emergency centres from the public health system, in Curitiba. PARTICIPANTS 101 452 EDVs for MH disorders and suicide attempts over 5 years, from patients residing inside the territory of Curitiba. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Relative risk of EDV (RREDV) due to extreme mean temperature (24.5°C, 99th percentile) relative to the median (18.02°C), controlling for long-term trends, air pollution and humidity, and measuring effects delayed up to 10 days. RESULTS Extreme heat was associated with higher single-lag EDV risk of RREDV 1.03(95% CI 1.01 to 1.05-single-lag 2), and cumulatively of RREDV 1.15 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.26-lag-cumulative 0-6). Strong risk was observed for patients with suicide attempts (RREDV 1.85, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.16) and neurotic disorders (RREDV 1.18, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.31). As to demographic subgroups, females (RREDV 1.20, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.34) and patients aged 18-64 (RREDV 1.18, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.30) were significantly endangered. Extreme heat resulted in lower risks of EDV for patients with organic disorders (RREDV 0.60, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.89), personality disorders (RREDV 0.48, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.91) and MH in general in the elderly ≥65 (RREDV 0.77, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.98). We found no significant RREDV among males and patients aged 0-17. CONCLUSION The risk of MH-related EDV due to heat is elevated for the entire study population, but very differentiated by subgroups. This opens avenue for adaptation policies in healthcare: such as monitoring populations at risk and establishing an early warning systems to prevent exacerbation of MH episodes and to reduce suicide attempts. Further studies are welcome, why the reported risk differences occur and what, if any, role healthcare seeking barriers might play.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Federspiel
- Private Psychiatric Hospital, Meiringen, Switzerland
- Support Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Maquins Odhiambo Sewe
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Sustainable health section, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Thomas Müller
- Private Psychiatric Hospital, Meiringen, Switzerland
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Aditi Bunker
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rainer Sauerborn
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Achebak H, Garcia-Aymerich J, Rey G, Chen Z, Méndez-Turrubiates RF, Ballester J. Ambient temperature and seasonal variation in inpatient mortality from respiratory diseases: a retrospective observational study. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. EUROPE 2023; 35:100757. [PMID: 38115961 PMCID: PMC10730325 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Background The seasonal fluctuation in mortality and hospital admissions from respiratory diseases, with a winter peak and a summer trough, is widely recognized in extratropical countries. However, little is known about the seasonality of inpatient mortality and the role of ambient temperature remains uncertain. We aimed to analyse the association between ambient temperature and in-hospital mortality from respiratory diseases in the provinces of Madrid and Barcelona, Spain. Methods We used data on daily hospitalisations, weather (ie, temperature and relative humidity) and air pollutants (ie, PM2.5, PM10, NO2 and O3) for the Spanish provinces of Madrid and Barcelona during 2006-2019. We applied a daily time-series quasi-Poisson regression in combination with distributed lag non-linear models (DLNM) to assess, on the one hand, the seasonal variation in fatal hospitalisations and the contribution of ambient temperature, and on the other hand, the day-to-day association between temperature and fatal hospital admissions. The analyses were stratified by sex, age and primary diagnostic of hospitalisation. Findings The study analysed 1 710 012 emergency hospital admissions for respiratory diseases (mean [SD] age, 60.4 [31.0] years; 44.2% women), from which 103 845 resulted in in-hospital death (81.4 [12.3] years; 45.1%). We found a strong seasonal fluctuation in in-hospital mortality from respiratory diseases. While hospital admissions were higher during the cold season, the maximum incidence of inpatient mortality was during the summer and was strongly related to high temperatures. When analysing the day-to-day association between temperature and in-hospital mortality, we only found an effect for high temperatures. The relative risk (RR) of fatal hospitalisation at the 99th percentile of the distribution of daily temperatures vs the minimum mortality temperature (MMT) was 1.395 (95% eCI: 1.211-1.606) in Madrid and 1.612 (1.379-1.885) in Barcelona. In terms of attributable burden, summer temperatures (June-September) were responsible for 16.2% (8.8-23.3) and 22.3% (15.4-29.2) of overall fatal hospitalisations from respiratory diseases in Madrid and Barcelona, respectively. Women were more vulnerable to heat than men, whereas the results by diagnostic of admission showed heat effects for acute bronchitis and bronchiolitis, pneumonia and respiratory failure. Interpretation Unless effective adaptation measures are taken in hospital facilities, climate warming could exacerbate the burden of inpatient mortality from respiratory diseases during the warm season. Funding European Research Council Consolidator Grant EARLY-ADAPT, European Research Council Proof-of-Concept Grants HHS-EWS and FORECAST-AIR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hicham Achebak
- Inserm, France Cohortes, Paris, France
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Judith Garcia-Aymerich
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
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Li A, Toll M, Bentley R. Mapping social vulnerability indicators to understand the health impacts of climate change: a scoping review. Lancet Planet Health 2023; 7:e925-e937. [PMID: 37940212 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(23)00216-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
The need to assess and measure how social vulnerability influences the health impacts of climate change has resulted in a rapidly growing body of research literature. To date, there has been no overarching, systematic examination of where this evidence is concentrated and what inferences can be made. This scoping review provides an overview of studies published between 2012 and 2022 on social vulnerability to the negative health effects of climate change. Of the 2115 studies identified from four bibliographic databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and CAB Direct), 230 that considered indicators of social vulnerability to climate change impacts on health outcomes were selected for review. Frequency and thematic analyses were conducted to establish the scope of the social vulnerability indicators, climate change impacts, and health conditions studied, and the substantive themes and findings of this research. 113 indicators of social vulnerability covering 15 themes were identified, with a small set of indicators receiving most of the research attention, including age, sex, ethnicity, education, income, poverty, unemployment, access to green and blue spaces, access to health services, social isolation, and population density. The results reveal an undertheorisation and few indicators that conceptualise and operationalise social vulnerability beyond individual sociodemographic characteristics by identifying structural and institutional dimensions of vulnerability, and a preponderance of social vulnerability research in high-income countries. This Review highlights the need for future research, data infrastructure, and policy attention to address structural, institutional, and sociopolitical conditions, which will better support climate resilience and adaptation planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ang Li
- NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Housing, Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Mathew Toll
- NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Housing, Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Rebecca Bentley
- NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Housing, Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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10
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Palmeiro-Silva YK, Lescano AG, Flores EC, Astorga E Y, Rojas L, Chavez MG, Mora-Rivera W, Hartinger SM. Identifying gaps on health impacts, exposures, and vulnerabilities to climate change on human health and wellbeing in South America: a scoping review. LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. AMERICAS 2023; 26:100580. [PMID: 37876675 PMCID: PMC10593580 DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2023.100580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
There is an important gap in regional information on climate change and health, limiting the development of science-based climate policies in South American countries. This study aims to identify the main gaps in the existing scientific literature on the impacts, exposure, and vulnerabilities of climate change on population health. A scoping review was performed guided by four sub-questions focused on the impacts of climate change on physical and mental health, exposure and vulnerability factors of population to climate hazards. The main findings showed that physical impacts mainly included infectious diseases, while mental health impacts included trauma, depression, and anxiety. Evidence on population exposure to climate hazards is limited, and social determinants of health and individual factors were identified as vulnerability factors. Overall, evidence on the intersection between climate change and health is limited in South America and has been generated in silos, with limited transdisciplinary research. More formal and systematic information should be generated to inform public policy. Funding None.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasna K. Palmeiro-Silva
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Centro de Políticas Públicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andres G. Lescano
- Clima, Latin American Center of Excellence for Climate Change and Health, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Emerge, Emerging Diseases and Climate Change Research Unit, School of Public Health and Administration, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Elaine C. Flores
- Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- The Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yamileth Astorga E
- Escuela de Tecnologías en Salud, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Luciana Rojas
- Clima, Latin American Center of Excellence for Climate Change and Health, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Mario G. Chavez
- Emerge, Emerging Diseases and Climate Change Research Unit, School of Public Health and Administration, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Sociedad Científica de San Fernando, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - Wendel Mora-Rivera
- InterAmerican Center for Global Health (CISG), Puntarenas, Costa Rica
- Escuela de Enfermería, Universidad Latina de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Stella M. Hartinger
- Clima, Latin American Center of Excellence for Climate Change and Health, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
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11
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Thompson R, Lawrance EL, Roberts LF, Grailey K, Ashrafian H, Maheswaran H, Toledano MB, Darzi A. Ambient temperature and mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Planet Health 2023; 7:e580-e589. [PMID: 37437999 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(23)00104-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidence indicates that ambient outdoor temperature could affect mental health, which is especially concerning in the context of climate change. We aimed to comprehensively analyse the current evidence regarding the associations between ambient temperature and mental health outcomes. METHODS We did a systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence regarding associations between ambient outdoor temperature and changes in mental health outcomes. We searched WebOfScience, Embase, PsychINFO, and PubMed for articles published from database origin up to April 7, 2022. Eligible articles were epidemiological, observational studies in humans of all ages, which evaluated real-world responses to ambient outdoor temperature, and had mental health as a documented outcome; studies of manipulated or controlled temperature or those with only physical health outcomes were excluded. All eligible studies were synthesised qualitatively. If three or more studies reported the same or equivalent effect statistics and if they had equivalent exposure, outcome, and metrics, the studies were pooled in a random-effects meta-analysis. The risk of bias for individual studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The quality of evidence across studies was assessed using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) approach. FINDINGS 114 studies were included in the systematic review, of which 19 were suitable for meta-analysis. Three meta-analyses were conducted for suicide outcomes: a 1°C increase in mean monthly temperature was associated with an increase in incidence of 1·5% (95% CI 0·8-2·2, p<0·001; n=1 563 109, seven effects pooled from three studies); a 1°C increase in mean daily temperature was associated with an increase in incidence of 1·7% (0·3-3·0, p=0·014; n=113 523, five effects pooled from five studies); and a 1°C increase in mean monthly temperature was associated with a risk ratio of 1·01 (95% CI 1·00-1·01, p<0·001; n=111 794, six effects pooled from three studies). Three meta-analyses were conducted for hospital attendance or admission for mental illness: heatwaves versus non-heatwave periods were associated with an increase in incidence of 9·7% (95% CI 7·6-11·9, p<0·001; n=362 086, three studies); the risk ratio at the 99th percentile of daily mean temperature compared with the 50th percentile was 1·02 (95% CI 1·01-1·03, p=0·006; n=532 296, three studies); and no significant association was found between a 10°C increase in daily mean temperature and hospital attendance. In a qualitative narrative synthesis, we found that ambient outdoor temperature (including absolute temperatures, temperature variability, and heatwaves) was positively associated with attempted and completed suicides (86 studies), hospital attendance or admission for mental illness (43 studies), and worse outcomes for community mental health and wellbeing (19 studies), but much of the evidence was of low certainty with high heterogeneity. INTERPRETATION Increased temperature and temperature variability could be associated with increased cases of suicide and suicidal behaviour, hospital attendance or admission for mental illness, and poor community health and wellbeing. Climate change is likely to increase temperature anomalies, variability, and heatwaves as well as average temperatures; as such, health system leaders and policy makers must be adequately prepared and should develop adaptation strategies. More high-quality, standardised research is required to improve our understanding of these effects. FUNDING None.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emma L Lawrance
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London, UK; Mental Health Innovations, London, UK.
| | - Lily F Roberts
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Kate Grailey
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Hutan Ashrafian
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Mireille B Toledano
- School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; Mohn Centre for Children's Health and Wellbeing, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ara Darzi
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London, UK
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12
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Requia WJ, Vicedo-Cabrera AM, de Schrijver E, Amini H, Gasparrini A. Association of high ambient temperature with daily hospitalization for cardiorespiratory diseases in Brazil: A national time-series study between 2008 and 2018. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 331:121851. [PMID: 37211231 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Further research is needed to examine the nationwide impact of temperature on health in Brazil, a region with particular challenges related to climate conditions, environmental characteristics, and health equity. To address this gap, in this study, we looked at the relationship between high ambient temperature and hospital admissions for circulatory and respiratory diseases in 5572 Brazilian municipalities between 2008 and 2018. We used an extension of the two-stage design with a case time series to assess this relationship. In the first stage, we applied a distributed lag non-linear modeling framework to create a cross-basis function. We next applied quasi-Poisson regression models adjusted by PM2.5, O3, relative humidity, and time-varying confounders. We estimated relative risks (RRs) of the association of heat (percentile 99th) with hospitalization for circulatory and respiratory diseases by sex, age group, and Brazilian regions. In the second stage, we applied meta-analysis with random effects to estimate the national RR. Our study population includes 23,791,093 hospital admissions for cardiorespiratory diseases in Brazil between 2008 and 2018. Among those, 53.1% are respiratory diseases, and 46.9% are circulatory diseases. The robustness of the RR and the effect size varied significantly by region, sex, age group, and health outcome. Overall, our findings suggest that i) respiratory admissions had the highest RR, while circulatory admissions had inconsistent or null RR in several subgroup analyses; ii) there was a large difference in the cumulative risk ratio across regions; and iii) overall, women and the elderly population experienced the greatest impact from heat exposure. The pooled national results for the whole population (all ages and sex) suggest a relative risk of 1.29 (95% CI: 1.26; 1.32) associated with respiratory admissions. In contrast, national meta-analysis for circulatory admissions suggested robust positive associations only for people aged 15-45, 46-65, >65 years old; for men aged 15-45 years old; and women aged 15-45 and 46-65 years old. Our findings are essential for the body of scientific evidence that has assisted policymakers to promote health equity and to create adaptive measures and mitigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weeberb J Requia
- School of Public Policy and Government, Fundação Getúlio Vargas Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
| | - Ana Maria Vicedo-Cabrera
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Evan de Schrijver
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Graduate School of Health Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Heresh Amini
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
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13
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Kim SE, Hashizume M, Armstrong B, Gasparrini A, Oka K, Hijioka Y, Vicedo-Cabrera AM, Honda Y. Mortality Risk of Hot Nights: A Nationwide Population-Based Retrospective Study in Japan. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:57005. [PMID: 37172196 PMCID: PMC10181675 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The health effects of heat are well documented; however, limited information is available regarding the health risks of hot nights. Hot nights have become more common, increasing at a faster rate than hot days, making it urgent to understand the characteristics of the hot night risk. OBJECTIVES We estimated the effects of hot nights on the cause- and location-specific mortality in a nationwide assessment over 43 y (1973-2015) using a unified analytical framework in the 47 prefectures of Japan. METHODS Hot nights were defined as days with a) minimum temperature ≥ 25 ° C (HN 25 ) and b) minimum temperature ≥ 95 th percentile (HN 95 th ) for the prefecture. We conducted a time-series analysis using a two-stage approach during the hot night occurrence season (April-November). For each prefecture, we estimated associations between hot nights and mortality controlling for potential confounders including daily mean temperature. We then used a random-effects meta-analytic model to estimate the pooled cumulative association. RESULTS Overall, 24,721,226 deaths were included in this study. Nationally, all-cause mortality increased by 9%-10% [HN 25 relative risk ( RR ) = 1.09 , 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08, 1.10; HN 95 th RR = 1.10 , 95% CI: 1.09, 1.11] during hot nights in comparison with nonhot nights. All 11 cause-specific mortalities were strongly associated with hot nights, and the corresponding associations appeared to be acute and lasted a few weeks, depending on the cause of death. The strength of the association between hot nights and mortality varied among prefectures. We found a higher mortality risk from hot nights in early summer in comparison with the late summer in all regions. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the evidence of mortality impacts from hot nights in excess of that explicable by daily mean temperature and have implications useful for establishing public health policy and research efforts estimating the health effects of climate change. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11444.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Masahiro Hashizume
- Department of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Japan
| | - Ben Armstrong
- Department of Public Health Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Antonio Gasparrini
- Department of Public Health Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Centre for Statistical Methodology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Kazutaka Oka
- Center for Climate Change Adaptation, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yasuaki Hijioka
- Center for Climate Change Adaptation, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ana M. Vicedo-Cabrera
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Yasushi Honda
- Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Center for Climate Change Adaptation, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
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14
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Wen B, Su BB, Xue J, Xie J, Wu Y, Chen L, Dong Y, Wu X, Wang M, Song Y, Ma J, Zheng X. Temperature variability and common diseases of the elderly in China: a national cross-sectional study. Environ Health 2023; 22:4. [PMID: 36609287 PMCID: PMC9824998 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-00959-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the context of climate change, it has been well observed that short-term temperature variability (TV) could increase the overall and cause-specific mortality and morbidity. However, the association between long-term TV and a broader spectrum of diseases is not yet well understood, especially in the elderly. METHODS Our study used data from the fourth Urban and Rural Elderly Population (UREP) study. Long-term TV was calculated from the standard deviation (SD) of daily minimum and maximum temperatures within the study periods (2010-2014, 2011-2014, 2012-2014, 2013-2014, and 2014). Ten self-reported diseases and conditions were collected by questionnaire, including cataract, hypertension, diabetes, cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, stomach diseases, arthritis, chronic lung disease, asthma, cancer, and reproductive diseases. The province-stratified logistic regression model was used to quantify the association between long-term TV and the prevalence of each disease. RESULTS A total of 184,047 participants were included in our study. In general, there were significant associations between TV and the prevalence of most diseases at the national level. Cardio-cerebrovascular disease (OR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.20) generated the highest estimates, followed by stomach diseases (OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.19), asthma (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.22), chronic lung diseases (OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.13), arthritis (OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.11), and cataract (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.10). Moreover, the associations varied by geographical regions and across subgroups stratified by sex, household income, physical activity, and education. CONCLUSIONS Our study showed that long-term exposure to TV was associated with the prevalence of main diseases in the elderly. More attention should be paid to the elderly and targeted strategies should be implemented, such as an early warning system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wen
- Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, No 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Climate, Air Quality Research (CARE) Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Level 2, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Bin Bin Su
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No.31, Beijige-3, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Jiahui Xue
- First Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University, No. 56 Xinjian South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan City, 030001, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Junqing Xie
- Centre for Statistics in Medicine and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre Oxford, NDORMS, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Yao Wu
- Climate, Air Quality Research (CARE) Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Level 2, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Li Chen
- Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, No 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Yanhui Dong
- Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, No 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Xiaolan Wu
- China Research Center on Ageing, 48 Guang 'anmen South Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100054, China
| | - Mengfan Wang
- University of Toronto, St.Geogre, 27 King's College Cir, Toronto, ON, M5S, Canada
| | - Yi Song
- Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, No 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jun Ma
- Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, No 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Xiaoying Zheng
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No.31, Beijige-3, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China.
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15
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Guo Y, Wu Y, Ye T, Zhang L, Johnson A, Li S. A causal modelling framework for short-term effects of PM 2.5 on hospitalisations: A nationwide time series study in Brazil. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 171:107688. [PMID: 36512916 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107688] [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: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Accurate estimates of the causal effect of air pollution on health outcomes, are critical when calculating attributable disease burdens. Brazil has a large population exposed to fast-growing emissions of air pollutants, however no national level studies have been conducted to examine the causal effect of PM2.5 exposure on health outcomes. This study proposes a novel approach, to accurately estimate the causal relationship between daily PM2.5 exposure and hospitalisations, across 1,814 Brazilian cities during 2000-2015. A variant of the difference-in-differences (DID) approach was applied under a counterfactual framework. Daily time series data were divided into panels. Seasonality and long-term trend were controlled using indicators for the panel. Variables which do not change within a short-period were controlled using a dummy variable for the day. Controls for variables which vary day by day, were included in the model. We found the proposed model exhibited competitive power performance in detecting causal associations between short-term PM2.5 exposure and hospitalisations in Brazil. A 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentrations over four days (lag 0-3) was associated with a 1.06 % (95 % CI: 0.94 to 1.17) increase in all-cause hospitalisations and accounted for 1.26 % (95 % CI: 1.12-1.39) of total hospitalisations. Larger effects were found for children aged 0-4 years and the elderly aged 80+ years, suggesting policies should be developed to minimise the exposure of these age groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuming Guo
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.
| | - Yao Wu
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Tingting Ye
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Lei Zhang
- China-Australia Joint Research Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China; Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Amanda Johnson
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Shanshan Li
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
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16
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Lai ETC, Chau PH, Cheung K, Kwan M, Lau K, Woo J. Perception of extreme hot weather and the corresponding adaptations among older adults and service providers-A qualitative study in Hong Kong. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1056800. [PMID: 36875383 PMCID: PMC9980346 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1056800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Extreme hot weather events are happening with increasing frequency, intensity and duration in Hong Kong. Heat stress is related to higher risk of mortality and morbidity, with older adults being particularly vulnerable. It is not clear whether and how the older adults perceive the increasingly hot weather as a health threat, and whether community service providers are aware and prepared for such future climate scenario. Methods We conducted semi-structure interviews with 46 older adults, 18 staff members of community service providers and two district councilors of Tai Po, a north-eastern residential district of Hong Kong. Transcribed data were analyzed using thematic analysis until data saturation was reached. Results It was agreed upon among the older adult participants that the weather in recent years has become increasingly hot and this led to some health and social problems for them, although some participants perceived that hot weather did not have any impact in their daily lives and they were not vulnerable. The community service providers and district councilors reported that there is a lack of relevant services in the community to support the older adults in hot weather; and there is generally a lack of public education regarding the heat-health issue. Conclusions Heatwaves are affecting older adults' health in Hong Kong. Yet, discussions and education effort regarding the heat-health issue in the public domain remain scarce. Multilateral efforts are urgently needed to co-create a heat action plan to improve community awareness and resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric T C Lai
- Institute of Health Equity, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Pui Hing Chau
- School of Nursing, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ken Cheung
- Jockey Club Institute of Ageing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Michelle Kwan
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Jockey Club Institute of Ageing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kevin Lau
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Luleå Tekniska Universitet, Luleå, Sweden
| | - Jean Woo
- Institute of Health Equity, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Jockey Club Institute of Ageing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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17
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Han A, Deng S, Yu J, Zhang Y, Jalaludin B, Huang C. Asthma triggered by extreme temperatures: From epidemiological evidence to biological plausibility. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114489. [PMID: 36208788 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is rapidly growing evidence indicating that extreme temperature is a crucial trigger and potential activator of asthma; however, the effects of extreme temperature on asthma are inconsistently reported and the its potential mechanisms remain undefined. OBJECTIVES This review aims to estimate the impacts of extreme heat, extreme cold, and temperature variations on asthma by systematically summarizing the existing studies from epidemiological evidence to biological plausibility. METHODS We conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from inception to June 30, 2022, and we retrieved articles of epidemiology and biological studies which assessed associations between extreme temperatures and asthma. This protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021273613). RESULTS From 12,435 identified records, 111 eligible studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, and 37 articles were included in the meta-analysis (20 for extreme heat, 16 for extreme cold, and 15 for temperature variations). For epidemiological evidence, we found that the synergistic effects of extreme temperatures, indoor/outdoor environments, and individual vulnerabilities are important triggers for asthma attacks, especially when there is extreme heat or cold. Meta-analysis further confirmed the associations, and the pooled relative risks for asthma attacks in extreme heat and extreme cold were 1.07 (95%CI: 1.03-1.12) and 1.20 (95%CI: 1.12-1.29), respectively. Additionally, this review discussed the potential inflammatory mechanisms behind the associations between extreme temperatures and asthma exacerbation, and highlighted the regulatory role of immunological pathways and transient receptor potential ion channels in asthma triggered by extreme temperatures. CONCLUSIONS We concluded that both extreme heat and cold could significantly increase the risk of asthma. Additionally, we proposed a potential mechanistic framework, which is important for understanding the disease pathogenesis that uncovers the complex mechanisms of asthma triggered by extreme temperatures and protects the sensitive individuals from impacts of extreme weather events and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azhu Han
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Shizhou Deng
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jiarui Yu
- Shenzhen Health Development Research and Data Management Center, Shenzhen 518028, China, School of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Yali Zhang
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Bin Jalaludin
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Cunrui Huang
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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Darabi D, Kluge U, Penka S, Mundt AP, Schouler-Ocak M, Butler J, Liu S, Heinz A, Rapp MA. Environmental stress, minority status, and local poverty: risk factors for mental health in Berlin's inner city. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2022:10.1007/s00406-022-01508-3. [PMID: 36335286 PMCID: PMC9638420 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-022-01508-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
This study examines whether climate change-associated environmental stressors, including air and noise pollution, local heat levels, as well as a lack of surrounding greenspace, mediate the effects of local poverty on mental health, using the 28-item General Health Questionnaire. We recruited 478 adults who were representative of eleven of Berlin's inner-city neighborhoods. The relationship of individual-level variables, neighborhood-level sociodemographic and environmental data from the Berlin Senate (Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing) to mental health was assessed in a multilevel model using SPSS. We found that neither local exposure to environmental stressors, nor available greenspace as a protective factor, mediated the effects of local poverty on variance in mental health (all p values > 0.2). However, surrounding greenspace (r = -0.24, p < 0.001), nitrogen dioxide levels (r = 0.10, p < 0.05), noise pollution (rho = 0.15, p < 0.01), and particle pollution (r = 0.12, p < 0.001) were associated with local poverty, which, more strongly than individual factors, accounted for variance in mental health (β = 0.47, p < 0.001). Our analysis indicates that the effects of local poverty on mental health are not mediated by environmental factors. Instead, local poverty was associated with both an increased mental health burden and the exposure to climate-related environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debora Darabi
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Mitte, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Ulrike Kluge
- grid.6363.00000 0001 2218 4662Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Mitte, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany ,grid.7468.d0000 0001 2248 7639Berlin Institute for Integration and Migration Research, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Penka
- grid.6363.00000 0001 2218 4662Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Mitte, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Adrian P. Mundt
- grid.443909.30000 0004 0385 4466Departamento de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, Hospital Clíınico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile ,grid.412193.c0000 0001 2150 3115Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile
| | - Meryam Schouler-Ocak
- grid.6363.00000 0001 2218 4662Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Mitte, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jeffrey Butler
- grid.7468.d0000 0001 2248 7639Institute for Geography, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Shuyan Liu
- grid.6363.00000 0001 2218 4662Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Mitte, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Heinz
- grid.6363.00000 0001 2218 4662Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Mitte, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany ,grid.7468.d0000 0001 2248 7639Berlin Institute for Integration and Migration Research, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael A. Rapp
- grid.11348.3f0000 0001 0942 1117Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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19
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Skarha J, Dominick A, Spangler K, Dosa D, Rich JD, Savitz DA, Zanobetti A. Provision of Air Conditioning and Heat-Related Mortality in Texas Prisons. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2239849. [PMID: 36322085 PMCID: PMC9631100 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.39849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE There is a large body of epidemiologic evidence that heat is associated with increased risk of mortality. One of the most effective strategies to mitigate the effects of heat is through air conditioning (AC); Texas regulates the internal temperature of jails to stay between 65 and 85 °F degrees, but these same standards do not apply to state and private prisons. OBJECTIVE To analyze whether heat during warm months is associated with an increased risk of mortality in Texas prisons without AC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This case-crossover study included individuals who died in Texas prisons between 2001 and 2019. The association of heat in warm months with mortality in Texas prisons with and without AC was estimated. Data analysis was conducted from January to April 2022. EXPOSURES Increasing daily heat index above 85 °F and extreme heat days (days above the 90th percentile heat index for the prison location). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Daily mortality in Texas prisons. RESULTS There were 2083 and 1381 deaths in prisons without and with AC, respectively, during warm months from 2001 to 2019. Most of the deceased were male (3339 of 3464 [96%]) and the median (IQR) age at death was 54 (45-62) years. A 1-degree increase above 85 °F heat index and an extreme heat day were associated with a 0.7% (95% CI, 0.1%-1.3%) and a 15.1% (95% CI, 1.3%-30.8%) increase in the risk of mortality in prisons without AC, respectively. Approximately 13% of mortality or 271 deaths may be attributable to extreme heat during warm months between 2001 to 2019 in Texas prison facilities without AC. In prisons with AC, a negative percentage change in mortality risk was observed, although the 95% CI crossed zero (percentage change in mortality risk: -0.6%; 95% CI, -1.6% to 0.5%). The estimates in prisons without AC were statistically different than the estimates in prisons with AC (P = .05). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This study found an average of 14 deaths per year between 2001 to 2019 were associated with heat in Texas prisons without AC vs no deaths associated with heat in prisons with AC. Adopting an AC policy in Texas prisons may be important for protecting the health of one of our most vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julianne Skarha
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | | | - Keith Spangler
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David Dosa
- Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
- Providence VAMC, Department of Primary Care, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Josiah D. Rich
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
- Center for Health and Justice Transformation, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - David A. Savitz
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Antonella Zanobetti
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
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20
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Yu P, Xu R, Li S, Yue X, Chen G, Ye T, Coêlho MSZS, Saldiva PHN, Sim MR, Abramson MJ, Guo Y. Exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5 and site-specific cancer mortality in Brazil from 2010 to 2016: A retrospective study. PLoS Med 2022; 19:e1004103. [PMID: 36121854 PMCID: PMC9529133 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-term exposure to fine particles ≤2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) has been linked to cancer mortality. However, the effect of wildfire-related PM2.5 exposure on cancer mortality risk is unknown. This study evaluates the association between wildfire-related PM2.5 and site-specific cancer mortality in Brazil, from 2010 to 2016. METHODS AND FINDINGS Nationwide cancer death records were collected during 2010-2016 from the Brazilian Mortality Information System. Death records were linked with municipal-level wildfire- and non-wildfire-related PM2.5 concentrations, at a resolution of 2.0° latitude by 2.5° longitude. We applied a variant difference-in-differences approach with quasi-Poisson regression, adjusting for seasonal temperature and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the exposure for specific cancer sites were estimated. Attributable fractions and cancer deaths were also calculated. In total, 1,332,526 adult cancer deaths (age ≥ 20 years), from 5,565 Brazilian municipalities, covering 136 million adults were included. The mean annual wildfire-related PM2.5 concentration was 2.38 μg/m3, and the annual non-wildfire-related PM2.5 concentration was 8.20 μg/m3. The RR for mortality from all cancers was 1.02 (95% CI 1.01-1.03, p < 0.001) per 1-μg/m3 increase of wildfire-related PM2.5 concentration, which was higher than the RR per 1-μg/m3 increase of non-wildfire-related PM2.5 (1.01 [95% CI 1.00-1.01], p = 0.007, with p for difference = 0.003). Wildfire-related PM2.5 was associated with mortality from cancers of the nasopharynx (1.10 [95% CI 1.04-1.16], p = 0.002), esophagus (1.05 [95% CI 1.01-1.08], p = 0.012), stomach (1.03 [95% CI 1.01-1.06], p = 0.017), colon/rectum (1.08 [95% CI 1.05-1.11], p < 0.001), larynx (1.06 [95% CI 1.02-1.11], p = 0.003), skin (1.06 [95% CI 1.00-1.12], p = 0.003), breast (1.04 [95% CI 1.01-1.06], p = 0.007), prostate (1.03 [95% CI 1.01-1.06], p = 0.019), and testis (1.10 [95% CI 1.03-1.17], p = 0.002). For all cancers combined, the attributable deaths were 37 per 100,000 population and ranged from 18/100,000 in the Northeast Region of Brazil to 71/100,000 in the Central-West Region. Study limitations included a potential lack of assessment of the joint effects of gaseous pollutants, an inability to capture the migration of residents, and an inability to adjust for some potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5 can increase the risks of cancer mortality for many cancer sites, and the effect for wildfire-related PM2.5 was higher than for PM2.5 from non-wildfire sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Yu
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rongbin Xu
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shanshan Li
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xu Yue
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Gongbo Chen
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tingting Ye
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Micheline S. Z. S. Coêlho
- Laboratory of Urban Health, Insper, São Paulo, Brazil
- Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo H. N. Saldiva
- Laboratory of Urban Health, Insper, São Paulo, Brazil
- Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Malcolm R. Sim
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael J. Abramson
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yuming Guo
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
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21
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Wu Y, Xu R, Yu W, Wen B, Li S, Guo Y. Economic burden of premature deaths attributable to non-optimum temperatures in Italy: A nationwide time-series analysis from 2015 to 2019. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113313. [PMID: 35436452 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113313] [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: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human beings and society are experiencing substantial consequences caused by non-optimum temperatures. However, limited studies have assessed the economic burden of premature deaths attributable to non-optimum temperatures. OBJECTIVES To characterize the association between daily mean temperature and the economic burden of premature deaths. METHODS A total of 3 228 098 deaths were identified from a national mortality dataset in Italy during 2015 and 2019. We used the value of statistical life to quantify the economic losses of premature death. A two-stage time-series analysis was performed to evaluate the economic losses of premature deaths associated with non-optimum temperatures. Attributable burden for non-optimum temperatures compared with minimum risk temperature were estimated. Potential effect modifiers were further explored. RESULTS From 2015 to 2019, the economic loss of premature deaths due to non-optimum temperatures was $525.52 billion (95% CI: $461.84-$580.80 billion), with the attributable fraction of 5.74% (95% CI: 5.04%-6.34%). Attributable economic burden was largely due to moderate cold temperatures ($309.54 billion, 95% CI: $249.49-$357.34 billion). A higher economic burden was observed for people above the age of 65, accounting for 75.97% ($452.42, 95%CI: $406.97-$488.76 billion) of the total economic burden. In particular, higher fractions attributable to heat temperatures were observed for provinces with the lowest level of GDP per capita but the highest level of urbanization. DISCUSSION This study shows a considerable economic burden of premature deaths attributed to non-optimum temperatures. These figures can help inform tailored prevention to tackle the large economic burden imposed by non-optimum temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Wu
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rongbin Xu
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Wenhua Yu
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bo Wen
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Shanshan Li
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Yuming Guo
- Climate, Air Quality Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
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22
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Ahn J, Bae S, Chung BH, Myong JP, Park MY, Lim YH, Kang MY. Association of summer temperatures and acute kidney injury in South Korea: a case-crossover study. Int J Epidemiol 2022:6661204. [PMID: 35950799 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyac163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to climate change, days with high temperatures are becoming more frequent. Although the effect of high temperature on the kidneys has been reported in research from Central and South America, Oceania, North America and Europe, evidence from Asia is still lacking. This study aimed to examine the association between short-term exposure to high temperatures and acute kidney injury (AKI) in a nationwide study in South Korea. METHODS We used representative sampling data from the 2002-2015 National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort in South Korea to link the daily mean temperatures and AKI cases that occurred in the summer. We used a bidirectional case-crossover study design with 0-7 lag days before the emergency room visit for AKI. In addition, we stratified the data into six income levels to identify the susceptible population. RESULTS A total of 1706 participants were included in this study. The odds ratio (OR) per 1°C increase at 0 lag days was 1.051, and the ORs per 1°C increase at a lag of 2 days were both 1.076. The association between exposure to high temperatures and AKI was slightly greater in the low-income group (OR = 1.088; 95% CI: 1.049-1.128) than in the high-income group (OR = 1.065; 95% CI: 1.026-1.105). CONCLUSIONS In our study, a relationship between exposure to high temperatures and AKI was observed. Precautions should be taken at elevated temperatures to minimize the risk of negative health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joonho Ahn
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghyuk Bae
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung Ha Chung
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Pyo Myong
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Young Park
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Youn-Hee Lim
- Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mo-Yeol Kang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Recent Techniques in Determining the Effects of Climate Change on Depressive Patients: A Systematic Review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 2022:1803401. [PMID: 35978588 PMCID: PMC9377838 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1803401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Climate change is amongst the most serious issues nowadays. Climate change has become a concern for the scientific community as it could affect human health. Researchers have found that climate change potentially impacts human mental health, especially among depressive patients. However, the relationship is still unclear and needs further investigation. The purpose of this systematic review is to systematically evaluate the evidence of the association between climate change effects on depressive patients, investigate the effects of environmental exposure related to climate change on mental health outcomes for depressive patients, analyze the current technique used to determine the relationship, and provide the guidance for future research. Articles were identified by searching specified keywords in six electronic databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Springer, ScienceDirect, and IEEE Digital Library) from 2012 until 2021. Initially, 1823 articles were assessed based on inclusion criteria. After being analyzed, only 15 studies fit the eligibility criteria. The result from included studies showed that there appears to be strong evidence of the association of environmental exposure related to climate change in depressive patients. Temperature and air pollution are consistently associated with increased hospital admission of depressive patients; age and gender became the most frequently considered vulnerability factors. However, the current evidence is limited, and the output finding between each study is still varied and does not achieve a reasonable and mature conclusion regarding the relationship between the variables. Therefore, more evidence is needed in this domain study. Some variables might have complex patterns, and hard to identify the relationship. Thus, technique used to analyze the relationship should be strengthened to identify the relevant relationship.
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Yu P, Xu R, Li S, Coelho MSZS, Saldiva PHN, Sim MR, Abramson MJ, Guo Y. Associations between long-term exposure to PM 2.5 and site-specific cancer mortality: A nationwide study in Brazil between 2010 and 2018. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 302:119070. [PMID: 35231538 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Long-term exposure to PM2.5 has been linked to lung cancer incidence and mortality, but limited evidence existed for other cancers. This study aimed to assess the association between PM2.5 on cancer specific mortality. An ecological study based on the cancer mortality data collected from 5,565 Brazilian cities during 2010-2018 using a difference-in-differences approach with quasi-Poisson regression, was applied to examine PM2.5-cancer mortality associations. Globally gridded annual average surface PM2.5 concentration was extracted and linked with the residential municipality of participants in this study. Sex, age stratified and exposure-response estimations were also conducted. Totalling 1,768,668 adult cancer deaths records of about 208 million population living across 5,565 municipalities were included in this study. The average PM2.5 concentration was 7.63 μg/m3 (standard deviation 3.32) with range from 2.95 μg/m3 to 28.5 μg/m3. With each 10 μg/m3 increase in three-year-average (current year and previous two years) concentrations of PM2.5, the relative risks (RR) of cancer mortality were 1.16 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11-1.20) for all-site cancers. The PM2.5 exposure was significantly associated with several cancer-specific mortalities including oral, nasopharynx, oesophagus, and stomach, colon rectum, liver, gallbladder, larynx, lung, bone, skin, female breast, cervix, prostate, brain and leukaemia. No safe level of PM2.5 exposure was observed in the exposure-response curve for all types of cancer. In conclusion, with nationwide cancer death records in Brazil, we found that long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 increased risks of mortality for many cancer types. Even low level PM2.5 concentrations had significant impacts on cancer mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Yu
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rongbin Xu
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Shanshan Li
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | | | - Malcolm R Sim
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Michael J Abramson
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Yuming Guo
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
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25
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Zhao Q, Yu P, Mahendran R, Huang W, Gao Y, Yang Z, Ye T, Wen B, Wu Y, Li S, Guo Y. Global climate change and human health: Pathways and possible solutions. ECO-ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH (ONLINE) 2022; 1:53-62. [PMID: 38075529 PMCID: PMC10702927 DOI: 10.1016/j.eehl.2022.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2023]
Abstract
Global warming has been changing the planet's climate pattern, leading to increasing frequency, intensity and duration of extreme weather events and natural disasters. These climate-changing events affect various health outcomes adversely through complicated pathways. This paper reviews the main signs of climate change so far, e.g., suboptimal ambient temperature, sea-level rise and other conditions, and depicts the interactive pathways between different climate-changing events such as suboptimal temperature, wildfires, and floods with a broad range of health outcomes. Meanwhile, the modifying effect of socioeconomic, demographic and environmental factors on the pathways is summarised, such that the youth, elderly, females, poor and those living in coastal regions are particularly susceptible to climate change. Although Earth as a whole is expected to suffer from climate change, this review article discusses some potential benefits for certain regions, e.g., a more liveable environment and sufficient food supply. Finally, we summarise certain mitigation and adaptation strategies against climate change and how these strategies may benefit human health in other ways. This review article provides a comprehensive and concise introduction of the pathways between climate change and human health and possible solutions, which may map directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Pei Yu
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Rahini Mahendran
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Wenzhong Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Yuan Gao
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Zhengyu Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Tingting Ye
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Bo Wen
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Yao Wu
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Shanshan Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Yuming Guo
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
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26
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Talukder MR, Chu C, Rutherford S, Huang C, Phung D. The effect of high temperatures on risk of hospitalization in northern Vietnam. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:12128-12135. [PMID: 34561800 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16601-8] [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: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Vietnam is one Southeast Asian country most vulnerable to climate change. By the end of the twenty-first century, temperature could rise above 5°C across Vietnam according to the IPCC highest emission pathway scenario. However, research on the temperature-health effects from the geographically diverse sub-tropical northern region of Vietnam is limited making location specific health system preparedness difficult. This study examines the elevated temperature-hospitalization relationship for the seven provinces in northern Vietnam by using generalized linear and distributed lag models. A random-effect meta-analysis was used to estimate the pooled temperature hospitalizations risks for all causes, and for infectious, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases. The pooled estimates show a significant effect of high temperature on hospitalizations for the same day (lag 0), when a 1°C increase in temperature above 24°C was significantly associated with 1.1% (95% CI, 0.9-1.4%) increased risk for all-cause hospital admissions, 2.4% (95% CI, 1.9-2.9%) increased risk for infectious disease admissions, 0.5% (95% CI, 0.1-0.9%) increased risk for cardiovascular disease admissions, and 1.3% (95% CI, 0.9-1.6%) increased risk for respiratory disease admissions. This research adds to the scant evidence examining heat and health morbidity effects in sub-tropical climates and has important implications for better understanding and preparing for the future impacts of climate change related temperature on Vietnam residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Radwanur Talukder
- Menzies School of Health Research, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT, Australia.
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, NT, Australia.
| | - Cordia Chu
- Centre for Environment and Population Health, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Shannon Rutherford
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia
| | | | - Dung Phung
- Centre for Environment and Population Health, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
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Liu J, Varghese BM, Hansen A, Borg MA, Zhang Y, Driscoll T, Morgan G, Dear K, Gourley M, Capon A, Bi P. Hot weather as a risk factor for kidney disease outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological evidence. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 801:149806. [PMID: 34467930 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The occurrence or exacerbation of kidney disease has been documented as a growing problem associated with hot weather. The implementation of effective prevention measures requires a better understanding of the risk factors that increase susceptibility. To fill gaps in knowledge, this study reviews the current literature on the effects of heat on kidney-disease outcomes (ICD-10 N00-N39), including morbidity and mortality. METHODS Databases were systematically searched for relevant literature published between 1990 and 2020 and the quality of evidence evaluated. We performed random effects meta-analysis to calculate the pooled relative risks (RRs) of the association between high temperatures (and heatwaves) and kidney disease outcomes. We further evaluated vulnerability concerning contextual population characteristics. RESULTS Of 2739 studies identified, 91 were reviewed and 82 of these studies met the criteria for inclusion in a meta-analysis. Findings showed that with a 1 °C increase in temperature, the risk of kidney-related morbidity increased by 1% (RR 1.010; 95% CI: 1.009-1.011), with the greatest risk for urolithiasis. Heatwaves were also associated with increased morbidity with a trend observed with heatwave intensity. During low-intensity heatwaves, there was an increase of 5.9% in morbidity, while during high-intensity heatwaves there was a 7.7% increase. There were greater RRs for males, people aged ≤64 years, and those living in temperate climate zones. Similarly, for every 1 °C temperature increase, there was a 3% (RR 1.031; 95% CI: 1.018-1.045) increase in the risk of kidney-related mortality, which also increased during heatwaves. CONCLUSIONS High temperatures (and heatwaves) are associated with an elevated risk of kidney disease outcomes, particularly urolithiasis. Preventive measures that may minimize risks in vulnerable individuals during hot spells are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Liu
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Alana Hansen
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Matthew A Borg
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Ying Zhang
- Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Timothy Driscoll
- Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Geoffrey Morgan
- Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Keith Dear
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Michelle Gourley
- Burden of Disease and Mortality Unit, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australia
| | - Anthony Capon
- Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University, Australia
| | - Peng Bi
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Australia.
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Wen B, Xu R, Wu Y, Coêlho MDSZS, Saldiva PHN, Guo Y, Li S. Association between ambient temperature and hospitalization for renal diseases in Brazil during 2000-2015: A nationwide case-crossover study. LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. AMERICAS 2021; 6:100101. [PMID: 36777886 PMCID: PMC9904055 DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2021.100101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background Climate change is increasing the risks of injuries, diseases, and deaths globally. However, the association between ambient temperature and renal diseases has not been fully characterized. This study aimed to quantify the risk and attributable burden for hospitalizations of renal diseases related to ambient temperature. Methods Daily hospital admission data from 1816 cities in Brazil were collected during 2000 and 2015. A time-stratified case-crossover design was applied to evaluate the association between temperature and renal diseases. Relative risks (RRs), attributable fractions (AFs), and their confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to estimate the associations and attributable burden. Findings A total of 2,726,886 hospitalizations for renal diseases were recorded during the study period. For every 1°C increase in daily mean temperature, the estimated risk of hospitalization for renal diseases over lag 0-7 days increased by 0·9% (RR = 1·009, 95% CI: 1·008-1·010) at the national level. The associations between temperature and renal diseases were largest at lag 0 days but remained for lag 1-2 days. The risk was more prominent in females, children aged 0-4 years, and the elderly ≥ 80 years. 7·4% (95% CI: 5·2-9·6%) of hospitalizations for renal diseases could be attributable to the increase of temperature, equating to 202,093 (95% CI: 141,554-260,594) cases. Interpretation This nationwide study provides robust evidence that more policies should be developed to prevent heat-related hospitalizations and mitigate climate change. Funding China Scholarship Council, and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wen
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rongbin Xu
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Yao Wu
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | | | - Yuming Guo
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia,Corresponding authors: Dr Shanshan Li, and Professor Yuming Guo, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Level 2, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. Tel: +61 3 9905 6100
| | - Shanshan Li
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia,Corresponding authors: Dr Shanshan Li, and Professor Yuming Guo, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Level 2, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. Tel: +61 3 9905 6100
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Xu R, Li S, Li S, Wong EM, Southey MC, Hopper JL, Abramson MJ, Guo Y. Ambient temperature and genome-wide DNA methylation: A twin and family study in Australia. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 285:117700. [PMID: 34380236 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about the association between ambient temperature and DNA methylation, which is a potential biological process through which ambient temperature affects health. This study aimed to evaluate the association between ambient temperature and DNA methylation across human genome. We included 479 Australian women, including 132 twin pairs and 215 sisters of these twins. Blood-derived DNA methylation was measured using the HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array. Data on average ambient temperature during eight different exposure windows [lag0d (the blood draw day), lag0-7d (the current day and previous seven days prior to blood draw), lag0-14d, lag0-21d, lag0-28d, lag0-90d, lag0-180d, and lag0-365d)] was linked to each participant's home address. For each cytosine-guanine dinucleotide (CpG), we evaluated the association between its methylation level and temperature using generalized estimating equations (GEE), adjusting for important covariates. We used comb-p and DMRcate to identify differentially methylated regions (DMRs). We identified 31 CpGs at which blood DNA methylation were significantly associated with ambient temperature with false discovery rate [FDR] < 0.05. There were 82 significant DMRs identified by both comb-p (Sidak p-value < 0.01) and DMRcate (FDR < 0.01). Most of these CpGs and DMRs only showed association with temperature during one specific exposure window. These CpGs and DMRs were mapped to 85 genes. These related genes have been related to many human chronic diseases or phenotypes (e.g., diabetes, arthritis, breast cancer, depression, asthma, body height) in previous studies. The signals of short-term windows (lag0d and lag0-21d) showed enrichment in biological processes related to cell adhesion. In conclusion, short-, medium-, and long-term exposures to ambient temperature were all associated with blood DNA methylation, but the target genomic loci varied by exposure window. These differential methylation signals may serve as potential biomarkers to understand the health impacts of temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongbin Xu
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Shuai Li
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia; Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB1 8RN, UK; Precision Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Shanshan Li
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Ee Ming Wong
- Precision Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia; Department of Clinical Pathology, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Melissa C Southey
- Precision Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia; Department of Clinical Pathology, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia; Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - John L Hopper
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Michael J Abramson
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Yuming Guo
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
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Lu P, Xia G, Zhao Q, Green D, Lim YH, Li S, Guo Y. Attributable risks of hospitalizations for urologic diseases due to heat exposure in Queensland, Australia, 1995-2016. Int J Epidemiol 2021; 51:144-154. [PMID: 34508576 PMCID: PMC8855997 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyab189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heat exposure is a risk factor for urologic diseases. However, there are limited existing studies that have examined the relationship between high temperatures and urologic disease. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between heat exposure and hospitalizations for urologic diseases in Queensland, Australia, during the hot seasons of 1995-2016 and to quantify the attributable risks. METHODS We obtained 238 427 hospitalized cases with urologic diseases from Queensland Health between 1 December 1995 and 31 December 2016. Meteorological data were collected from the Scientific Information for Land Owners-a publicly accessible database of Australian climate data that provides daily data sets for a range of climate variables. A time-stratified, case-crossover design fitted with the conditional quasi-Poisson regression model was used to estimate the associations between temperature and hospitalizations for urologic diseases at the postcode level during each hot season (December-March). Attributable rates of hospitalizations for urologic disease due to heat exposure were calculated. Stratified analyses were performed by age, sex, climate zone, socio-economic factors and cause-specific urologic diseases. RESULTS We found that a 1°C increase in temperature was associated with a 3.3% [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.9%, 3.7%] increase in hospitalization for the selected urologic diseases during the hot season. Hospitalizations for renal failure showed the strongest increase 5.88% (95% CI: 5.25%, 6.51%) among the specific causes of hospital admissions considered. Males and the elderly (≥60 years old) showed stronger associations with heat exposure than females and younger groups. The sex- and age-specific associations with heat exposure were similar across specific causes of urologic diseases. Overall, nearly one-fifth of hospitalizations for urologic diseases were attributable to heat exposure in Queensland. CONCLUSIONS Heat exposure is associated with increased hospitalizations for urologic disease in Queensland during the hot season. This finding reinforces the pressing need for dedicated public health-promotion campaigns that target susceptible populations, especially for those more predisposed to renal failure. Given that short-term climate projections identify an increase in the frequency, duration and intensity of heatwaves, this public health advisory will be of increasing urgency in coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Lu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Management, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Guoxin Xia
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Management, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Donna Green
- Climate Change Research Centre and ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Youn-Hee Lim
- Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Shanshan Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yuming Guo
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Management, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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31
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Yu P, Xu R, Coelho MSZS, Saldiva PHN, Li S, Zhao Q, Mahal A, Sim M, Abramson MJ, Guo Y. The impacts of long-term exposure to PM 2.5 on cancer hospitalizations in Brazil. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 154:106671. [PMID: 34082238 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-term exposure to PM2.5 has been linked to cancer incidence and mortality. However, it was unknown whether there was an association with cancer hospitalizations. METHODS Data on cancer hospitalizations and annual PM2.5 concentrations were collected from 1,814 Brazilian cities during 2002-2015. A difference-in-difference approach with quasi-Poisson regression was applied to examine State-specific associations. The State-specific associations were pooled at a national level using random-effect meta-analyses. PM2.5 attributable burden were estimated for cancer hospitalization admissions, inpatient days and costs. RESULTS We included 5,102,358 cancer hospitalizations (53.8% female). The mean annual concentration of PM2.5 was 7.0 μg/m3 (standard deviation: 4.0 μg/m3). With each 1 μg/m3 increase in two-year-average (current year and previous one year) concentrations of PM2.5, the relative risks (RR) of hospitalization were 1.04 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02 to 1.07) for all-site cancers from 2002 to 2015 without sex and age differences. We estimated that 33.82% (95%CI: 14.97% to 47.84%) of total cancer hospitalizations could be attributed to PM2.5 exposure in Brazil during the study time. For every 100,000 population, 1,190 (95%CI: 527 to 1,836) cancer hospitalizations, 8,191 (95%CI: 3,627 to 11,587) inpatient days and US$788,775 (95%CI: $349,272 to $1,115,825) cost were attributable to PM2.5 exposure. CONCLUSIONS Long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 was positively associated with hospitalization for many cancer types in Brazil. Inpatient days and cost would be saved if the annual PM2.5 exposure was reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Yu
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rongbin Xu
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | | | - Shanshan Li
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Qi Zhao
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ajay Mahal
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Malcolm Sim
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Michael J Abramson
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Yuming Guo
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
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32
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Federico MJ, Denlinger LC, Corren J, Szefler SJ, Fuhlbrigge AL. Exacerbation-Prone Asthma: A Biological Phenotype or a Social Construct. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE 2021; 9:2627-2634. [PMID: 34051392 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2021.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Asthma is a complex syndrome with multiple phenotypes and endotypes. Asthma exacerbations are not only the clearest indictor of the morbidity of asthma and of the risk for mortality due to asthma, but also comprise a significant amount of the cost to care for poorly controlled asthma. There continues to be significant disparity in the prevalence, mortality, and morbidity due to asthma. Patients with asthma who suffer recurrent exacerbations are considered to have exacerbation-prone asthma (EPA). Efforts to characterize patients with frequent exacerbations show that the etiology is likely multifactorial. Research to determine the intrinsic risk factors for EPA include studies of both genetic and inflammatory biomarkers. External factors contributing to exacerbations have been extensively reviewed and include viral infection, environmental exposures, air pollution, and psychosocial and economic barriers to optimizing health. It is likely that EPA occurs when patients who have an increased underlying intrinsic/biological risk are placed in a given exposome (environments with a variety of exposures and triggers including allergens, pollution, stress, barriers, and occupational exposures). It is the social construct combined with underlying biology that frequently drives an EPA phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica J Federico
- The Breathing Institute, Children's Hospital Colorado, and Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo.
| | - Loren C Denlinger
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis
| | - Jonathan Corren
- Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, Divisions of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif
| | - Stanley J Szefler
- The Breathing Institute, Children's Hospital Colorado, and Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo
| | - Anne L Fuhlbrigge
- Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo
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Charlson F, Ali S, Benmarhnia T, Pearl M, Massazza A, Augustinavicius J, Scott JG. Climate Change and Mental Health: A Scoping Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:4486. [PMID: 33922573 PMCID: PMC8122895 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Climate change is negatively impacting the mental health of populations. This scoping review aims to assess the available literature related to climate change and mental health across the World Health Organisation's (WHO) five global research priorities for protecting human health from climate change. We conducted a scoping review to identify original research studies related to mental health and climate change using online academic databases. We assessed the quality of studies where appropriate assessment tools were available. We identified 120 original studies published between 2001 and 2020. Most studies were quantitative (n = 67), cross-sectional (n = 42), conducted in high-income countries (n = 87), and concerned with the first of the WHO global research priorities-assessing the mental health risks associated with climate change (n = 101). Several climate-related exposures, including heat, humidity, rainfall, drought, wildfires, and floods were associated with psychological distress, worsened mental health, and higher mortality among people with pre-existing mental health conditions, increased psychiatric hospitalisations, and heightened suicide rates. Few studies (n = 19) addressed the other four global research priorities of protecting health from climate change (effective interventions (n = 8); mitigation and adaptation (n = 7); improving decision-support (n = 3); and cost estimations (n = 1)). While climate change and mental health represents a rapidly growing area of research, it needs to accelerate and broaden in scope to respond with evidence-based mitigation and adaptation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Charlson
- Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Queensland Health, Wacol, QLD 4076, Australia; (S.A.); (M.P.); (J.G.S.)
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Suhailah Ali
- Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Queensland Health, Wacol, QLD 4076, Australia; (S.A.); (M.P.); (J.G.S.)
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Tarik Benmarhnia
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science & Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC, San Diego, CA 92093, USA;
| | - Madeleine Pearl
- Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Queensland Health, Wacol, QLD 4076, Australia; (S.A.); (M.P.); (J.G.S.)
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Alessandro Massazza
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK;
| | - Jura Augustinavicius
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
| | - James G. Scott
- Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Queensland Health, Wacol, QLD 4076, Australia; (S.A.); (M.P.); (J.G.S.)
- Mental Health Programme, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD 4076, Australia
- Metro North Mental Health Service, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
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