scholarly journals Attributable risks of hospitalizations for urologic diseases due to heat exposure in Queensland, Australia, 1995–2016

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Lu ◽  
Guoxin Xia ◽  
Qi Zhao ◽  
Donna Green ◽  
Youn-Hee Lim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Renal Failure ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Heat Exposure ◽  
Climate Projections ◽  
Urologic Diseases ◽  
Hot Season ◽  
Urologic Disease

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.

scholarly journals Increased hospital admissions associated with extreme-heat exposure in King County, Washington, 1990–2010

2015 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tania Busch Isaksen ◽  
Michael G. Yost ◽  
Elizabeth K. Hom ◽  
You Ren ◽  
Hilary Lyons ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Renal Failure ◽  
Acute Renal Failure ◽  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Heat Exposure ◽  
Extreme Heat ◽  
King County ◽  
Extreme Heat Events ◽  
Heat Events

AbstractIncreased morbidity and mortality have been associated with extreme heat events, particularly in temperate climates. Few epidemiologic studies have considered the impact of extreme heat events on hospitalization rates in the Pacific Northwest region. This study quantifies the historic (May to September 1990–2010) heat-morbidity relationship in the most populous Pacific Northwest County, King County, Washington. A relative risk (RR) analysis was used to explore the association between heat and all non-traumatic hospitalizations on 99th percentile heat days, whereas a time series analysis using a piecewise linear model approximation was used to estimate the effect of heat intensity on hospitalizations, adjusted for temporal trends and day of the week. A non-statistically significant 2% [95% CI: 1.02 (0.98, 1.05)] increase in hospitalization risk, on a heat day vs. a non-heat day, was noted for all-ages and all non-traumatic causes. When considering the effect of heat intensity on admissions, we found a statistically significant 1.59% (95% CI: 0.9%, 2.29%) increase in admissions per degree increase in humidex above 37.4°C. Admissions stratified by cause and age produced statistically significant results with both relative risk and time series analyses for nephritis and nephrotic syndromes, acute renal failure, and natural heat exposure hospitalizations. This study demonstrates that heat, expressed as humidex, is associated with increased hospital admissions. When stratified by age and cause of admission, the non-elderly age groups (<85 years) experience significant risk for nephritis and nephrotic syndromes, acute renal failure, natural heat exposure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma hospitalizations.

scholarly journals COVID-19 public health measures: a reduction in hospital admissions for COPD exacerbations

Thorax ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. thoraxjnl-2020-216083
Author(s):  
Jing Yuan Tan ◽  
Edwin Philip Conceicao ◽  
Liang En Wee ◽  
Xiang Ying Jean Sim ◽  
Indumathi Venkatachalam
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Significant Morbidity ◽  
Common Cause ◽  
Copd Exacerbations ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Acute Exacerbations ◽  
Respiratory Viral Infections

Hospitalisations for acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) carry significant morbidity and mortality. Respiratory viral infections (RVIs) are the most common cause of AECOPD and are associated with worse clinical outcomes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health measures, such as social distancing and universal masking, were originally implemented to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2; these public health measures were subsequently also observed to reduce transmission of other common circulating RVIs. In this study, we report a significant and sustained decrease in hospital admissions for all AECOPD as well as RVI-associated AECOPD, which coincided with the introduction of public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals A heat-health watch and warning system with extended season and evolving thresholds

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahamat Abdelkerim Issa ◽  
Fateh Chebana ◽  
Pierre Masselot ◽  
Céline Campagna ◽  
Éric Lavigne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Climate Projections ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Extreme Heat Events ◽  
Watch And Warning System

Abstract Background Many countries have developed heat-health watch and warning systems (HHWWS) or early-warning systems to mitigate the health consequences of extreme heat events. HHWWS usually focuses on the four hottest months of the year and imposes the same threshold over these months. However, according to climate projections, the warm season is expected to extend and/or shift. Some studies demonstrated that health impacts of heat waves are more severe when the human body is not acclimatized to the heat. In order to adapt those systems to potential heat waves occurring outside the hottest months of the season, this study proposes specific health-based monthly heat indicators and thresholds over an extended season from April to October in the northern hemisphere. Methods The proposed approach, an adoption and extension of the HHWWS methodology currently implemented in Quebec (Canada). The latter is developed and applied to the Greater Montreal area (current population 4.3 million) based on historical health and meteorological data over the years. This approach consists of determining excess mortality episodes and then choosing monthly indicators and thresholds that may involve excess mortality. Results We obtain thresholds for the maximum and minimum temperature couple (in °C) that range from (respectively, 23 and 12) in April, to (32 and 21) in July and back to (25 and 13) in October. The resulting HHWWS is flexible, with health-related thresholds taking into account the seasonality and the monthly variability of temperatures over an extended summer season. Conclusions This adaptive and more realistic system has the potential to prevent, by data-driven health alerts, heat-related mortality outside the typical July–August months of heat waves. The proposed methodology is general and can be applied to other regions and situations based on their characteristics.

Complexities of communicating atmospheric composition and its impacts during the COVID-19 public health crisis in 2020

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Volosciuk
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Stratospheric Ozone ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Public Health Crisis

&lt;p&gt;The Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is driven by the need to understand the variability and trends in atmospheric composition and the related physical parameters, and to assess the consequences thereof. GAW provides reliable scientific information for a broad spectrum of users, including policymakers, on topics related to atmospheric chemical composition. The programme supports international environmental and climate agreements and improves our understanding of climate change and long-range transboundary air pollution through its work on greenhouse gases, aerosols, reactive gases, atmospheric deposition, stratospheric ozone, and ultraviolet radiation. GAW provides information based on combinations of observations, data analysis and modelling activities, and supports a number of applications at the global, regional and urban scale. This implies a variety of target groups and communication vectors. Due to the complexity and interrelations of the different constituents in atmospheric chemistry and the diversity of the target audience, communication of the related issues represents a substantial challenge. Some examples are questions like &amp;#8220;If greenhouse gas emissions are falling, why do concentrations not decrease?&amp;#8221;, &amp;#8220;if satellite data show pollution reductions, why can&amp;#8217;t we say that it is due to emission reductions?&amp;#8221; etc. &amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To sustain the credibility and increase the visibility of GAW within the WMO community and other national/international bodies, the broader scientific and policy communities, as well as the general public, increasing efforts towards &amp;#8220;communicating GAW&amp;#8221; are taken. The global pandemic related to COVID-19 was the dominating topic around the globe in 2020. This required adjustments to communication efforts. Due to in-person meetings being impossible, all communication efforts required delivery and engagement through virtual formats.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While emissions of carbon dioxide (among others) have decreased temporarily in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions, concentrations have continued to increase. This has led to confusion among many non-scientists who were surprised that the restrictions they were experiencing did not even have the effect of decreasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. Thereby, the crisis has provided an opportunity to explain the difference between emissions and concentrations, emphasizing that carbon dioxide (and other greenhouse gases) are long-lived and remain in the atmosphere for a long time, and highlighting the importance to reach net-zero emissions. Similar confusion was related to the interpretation of the pollution levels and also required additional communication efforts.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reflections on communication of atmospheric composition in the framework of WMO/GAW, including challenges and opportunities during the public health crisis will be presented.&lt;/p&gt;

Evaluation of Dietitian Counselling Access Revealed Reduced Pediatrician-Reported Hospital Admissions and Increased Parental Knowledge and Confidence

2017 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine (Kay) Watson-Jarvis ◽  
Lorna Driedger ◽  
Tanis R. Fenton
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Parental Knowledge ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Public Health Nurses ◽  
Child Feeding ◽  
N 93 ◽  
High Degree

Based on a 1999 needs assessment a pediatric community-based outpatient dietitian counselling service was created. By 2010 annual referrals had grown to almost 1500 (62% from physicians; 38% from public health nurses). An evaluation was undertaken to gather perspectives of practitioners and parents about access, satisfaction, referral practices, and changes in knowledge, attitudes, behaviour, and child well-being. Health professionals surveyed via email were 62 pediatricians (response rate 71%), 25 family physicians (21%), 87 public health nurses (31%), and 7 dietitian providers (100%). Parents (n = 93, response rate 75% of those contacted) were interviewed by telephone. Pediatricians reported a significantly lower rate of 7% (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.8%–23%) for admitting children to hospital to access a dietitian, compared to 1999 of 39% (95% CI, 22%–59%) (P = 0.005). Health professionals reported a high degree of agreement on benefits of the service to their practice and on child health problems and a high degree of satisfaction with the service. Parents reported gaining knowledge (76%), confidence (93%), and making behaviour changes in foods offered (77%). Our evaluation demonstrated health practitioners saw a need for access to dietitians for pediatric dietitian counselling and parents reported more confidence and improved child feeding practices after dietitian counselling.

Water reclamation, reuse and public health

2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 275-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.B. Rose
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Health Protection ◽  
The Public ◽  
Appropriate Treatment ◽  
Problems And Solutions ◽  
Quality Water ◽  
Public Health Protection ◽  
Water Issues

The number of people who have limited access to high-quality water has increased, and while this is a growing global crisis, water issues, problems and solutions are often seen as localised. Water reuse and reclamation will play a significant role in achieving sustainability and public health protection in the future. The wastewater and reuse community should be responsible for monitoring sewage impacts and improvements as demonstrated through pathogen reduction with appropriate treatment. Viruses, Cryptosporidium and Giardia can all be reduced during treatment anywhere from 99% to 99.9999%, achieving drinking water quality, if so desired. Recommendations to achieve better access to scientific information for decision making include: 1) developing a global data base for biological contaminant loading from wastewater and 2) defining the public health protection via reuse and reclamation.

Burden of hospitalisation among older people in the Brazilian public health system: a big data analysis from 2009 to 2015

2019 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. 537-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Daglius Dias ◽  
Jacson Venancio de Barros
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
Older People ◽  
Health System ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Public Health System ◽  
Average Length ◽  
Admission Rate ◽  
Older Population ◽  
Icu Admission

BackgroundThe world’s population is progressively ageing, and this trend imposes several challenges to society and governments. The aim of this study was to investigate the burden generated by the hospitalisation of older (>60 years) compared with non-older population, as well as the epidemiology of these hospital admissions.MethodsUsing the Brazilian Unified Health System (known as ‘Sistema Único de Saúde’ (SUS)), an analysis of all hospital admissions of adult patients in the SUS from 2009 to 2015 was undertaken. The following indicators were used: hospital admission rate, intensive care unit (ICU) admission rate, average length of hospital and ICU stay, hospital mortality and average reimbursement per hospitalisation.ResultsA total of 61 958 959 admissions during the 7-year period, were analysed, encompassing 17 893 392 (28.9%) older patients. Elderly represent 15% (n=21 294 950) of the Brazilian adult population, but are responsible for 29% (n=17 893 392) of hospitalisations, 52% (n=1 731 299) of ICU admissions and 66% (n=1 885 291) of hospital mortality. Among the adults, elderly represents 39% of the total reimbursement made related to admission/hospitalisation. For 2009 to 2015, while the older population increased 27%, ICU admission rate increased 20%; the average length of ICU stay was 12% higher in 2015 (6.5 days) compared with 2009 (5.8 days); and the hospital mortality increased from 9.8% to 11.2%.ConclusionThese findings illustrate the current panorama of the burden due to hospitalisation of older people in the Brazilian public health system, and evidence the consolidation of the epidemiological transition toward the predominance of non-communicable diseases as the main cause of hospitalisation among the elderly in Brazil.

scholarly journals Heat, Heatwaves and Cardiorespiratory Hospital Admissions in Helsinki, Finland

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (21) ◽  
pp. 7892
Author(s):  
Hasan Sohail ◽  
Virpi Kollanus ◽  
Pekka Tiittanen ◽  
Alexandra Schneider ◽  
Timo Lanki
Keyword(s):  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Heat Exposure ◽  
Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽  
Daily Temperature ◽  
Finnish Meteorological Institute ◽  
Weather Information ◽  
National Hospital Discharge Register ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Northern Climate ◽  
Helsinki Metropolitan Area

Background: There is a lack of knowledge concerning the effects of ambient heat exposure on morbidity in Northern Europe. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the relationships of daily summertime temperature and heatwaves with cardiorespiratory hospital admissions in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland. Methods: Time series models adjusted for potential confounders, such as air pollution, were used to investigate the associations of daily temperature and heatwaves with cause-specific cardiorespiratory hospital admissions during summer months of 2001–2017. Daily number of hospitalizations was obtained from the national hospital discharge register and weather information from the Finnish Meteorological Institute. Results: Increased daily temperature was associated with a decreased risk of total respiratory hospital admissions and asthma. Heatwave days were associated with 20.5% (95% CI: 6.9, 35.9) increased risk of pneumonia admissions and during long or intense heatwaves also with total respiratory admissions in the oldest age group (≥75 years). There were also suggestive positive associations between heatwave days and admissions due to myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular diseases. In contrast, risk of arrhythmia admissions decreased 20.8% (95% CI: 8.0, 31.8) during heatwaves. Conclusions: Heatwaves, rather than single hot days, are a health threat affecting morbidity even in a Northern climate.

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