scholarly journals Does Ethnic Diversity Impact on Risk Perceptions, Preparedness, and Management of Heat Waves?

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maya Siman-Tov ◽  
Kirsten Vanderplanken ◽  
Debarati Guha-Sapir ◽  
Joris A. F. van Loenhout ◽  
Bruria Adini
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Heat Stroke ◽  
Protective Behavior ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Crucial Component ◽  
Majority Groups ◽  
Individual Ability

Detrimental health impacts of heatwaves, including excess mortality, are increasing worldwide. To assess risk perceptions, protective knowledge and behaviors concerning heatwaves in Israel, a study was initiated, comparing attitudes of majority (Jewish) and minority (Arab) populations. A quantitative survey was disseminated through an internet panel, to a representative sample of 556 individuals (79% Jews; 21% Arabs). Overall, 74% consider heatwaves a problem, 93% believe that heatwaves' frequencies will increase, 27% are very concerned about the effects of heatwaves. Higher levels of awareness to heatwaves were found among Jewish compared to Arab respondents; 90 vs. 77% (respectively) could name heatwaves' symptoms (p < 0.001); 81 vs. 56% (respectively) reported knowing how to protect themselves (p < 0.001); 74 vs. 47% (respectively) reported knowing what to do when someone suffers from heat stroke (p < 0.001). Arab compared to Jewish respondents presented higher levels of concern about heatwaves' effects (3.22 vs. 3.09 respectively; t −2.25, p = 0.03), while knowledge of protective measures was higher among Jews compared to Arabs (3.67 vs. 3.56 t = 2.13 p = 0.04). A crucial component of enhancing preparedness to heatwaves is empowerment of minority as well as majority groups, to strengthen their capacity to implement protective behavior and elevate their self-belief in their individual ability and fortitude.

scholarly journals Dehydration and renal failure in older persons during heatwaves-predictable, hard to identify but preventable?

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 615-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Brennan ◽  
Shaun T O’Keeffe ◽  
Eamon C Mulkerrin
Keyword(s):  
Renal Failure ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Physiological Responses ◽  
Heat Stroke ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Excess Heat

Abstract Extremes of temperature are likely to increase in frequency associated with climate change. Older patients are particularly vulnerable to the effects of heat with excess mortality well documented in this population. Age-associated neurohormonal changes particularly affecting the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS), alterations in thermoregulatory mechanisms, changes in renal function and body composition render older persons vulnerable to dehydration, renal failure, heat stroke and increased mortality. Barriers to diagnosis and recognition of dehydration and renal failure include the absence of reliable clinical signs and cost-effective diagnostic tools. Regularly used medications also impact on physiological responses to excess heat as well as interfering with the recognition and management of dehydration during heat waves. In view of the above, anticipatory measures should be instituted ideally prior to the onset of heat waves to minimise morbidity and mortality for older people during periods of excess heat.

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.

scholarly journals Prevalence and correlates of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity among people who inject drugs in the San Diego-Tijuana border region

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steffanie Ann Strathdee ◽  
Daniela Abramovitz ◽  
Alicia Harvey-Vera ◽  
Carlos Vera ◽  
Gudelia Rangel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
San Diego ◽  
People Who Inject Drugs ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Protective Behavior ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
The Past ◽  
Hispanic People

Background: People who inject drugs may be at elevated SARS-CoV-2 risk due to their living conditions and/or exposures when seeking or using drugs. No study to date has reported upon risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection among people who inject drugs or sex workers. Methods and Findings: Between October, 2020 and June, 2021, participants aged ≥18 years from San Diego, California, USA and Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico who injected drugs within the last month underwent interviews and testing for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibodies. Binomial regressions identified correlates of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. Of 386 participants, SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was 36.3% (95% CI: 31.5%-41.1%); 92.1% had detectable IgM antibodies. Only 37.5% had previously been tested. Seroprevalence did not differ by country of residence. None tested RNA-positive. Most (89.5%) reported engaging in ≥1 protective behavior [e.g., facemasks (73.5%), social distancing (46.5%), or increasing handwashing/sanitizers (22.8%)]. In a multivariate model controlling for sex, older age, and Hispanic/Latinx/Mexican ethnicity were independently associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity, as was engaging in sex work (AdjRR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.18-2.27) and having been incarcerated in the past six months (AdjRR: 1.49; 95% CI: 0.97-2.27). Presence of comorbidities and substance using behaviors were not associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. Conclusions: This is the first study to show that sex work and incarceration were independently associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Despite engaging in protective measures, over one-third had evidence of infection, reinforcing the need for a coordinated binational response. Risk mitigation and vaccination is especially needed among older and Hispanic people who inject drugs and those with less agency to protect themselves, such as those who are sex workers or incarcerated.

scholarly journals HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (05) ◽  
pp. 546-553
Author(s):  
Sajid Ali Mustafvi ◽  
Nadeem Yousaf ◽  
Zainab Amjad ◽  
Tahir Ahamd Munir ◽  
Syed Shoiab Shah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Heat Stroke ◽  
Harmful Effect ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Anxiety State ◽  
Air Conditioner ◽  
Disturbed Sleep ◽  
Great Percent

Objective: To study the adaptive strategies from harmful effect of heat waveon an urban, educated, well to do subjects for a period of May to July 2014.Data Source:250 selected young students of RIHS. Design of Study: Descriptive Study. Setting: RawalInstitute of Health Sciences, Islamabad. Period: March – July 2014. Method: A questionnairewas circulated among the students of Rawal Institute of Health Sciences Islamabad regardingeffects of heat and measures taken to combat its effects. Results: A total of 250 urban studentswith mean age of 19.77±1.10 years were inducted in the study, having resources to face theextreme heat. A significant number of female non boarder students (p=0.000), wearing cottonclothes (p=0.000) having fair skin (p=0.000) and using air condition at homes (p=0.000) werenot acclimatized to heat waves still have headache and anxiety. A great percent of students didnot complaint of headache, heat exhaustion, heat cramp or syncope, except mild sweating,effect on studies. A great percentage (>65%) of students complained of malaise, nauseavomiting. Male students showed increase thirst than female, while anxiety state was noticedmore in female than male students. Conclusion: The use of cotton clothing, daily bathing,increased water intake and use of air conditioner minimized the severe adverse effects likeheat exhaustion, heat syncope, and heat stroke, although the minor effects like skin tanning,disturbed sleep, anxiety and adverse effects on studies cannot be avoided in heat wave season.

scholarly journals Excess Mortality in Istanbul during Extreme Heat Waves between 2013 and 2017

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (22) ◽  
pp. 4348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Günay Can ◽  
Ümit Şahin ◽  
Uğurcan Sayılı ◽  
Marjolaine Dubé ◽  
Beril Kara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Wave ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Intervention Studies ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Extreme Heat ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Climate Simulations ◽  
Morbidity Risks ◽  
Excess Deaths

Heat waves are one of the most common direct impacts of anthropogenic climate change and excess mortality their most apparent impact. While Turkey has experienced an increase in heat wave episodes between 1971 and 2016, no epidemiological studies have examined their potential impacts on public health so far. In this study excess mortality in Istanbul attributable to extreme heat wave episodes between 2013 and 2017 is presented. Total excess deaths were calculated using mortality rates across different categories, including age, sex, and cause of death. The analysis shows that three extreme heat waves in the summer months of 2015, 2016, and 2017, which covered 14 days in total, significantly increased the mortality rate and caused 419 excess deaths in 23 days of exposure. As climate simulations show that Turkey is one of the most vulnerable countries in the Europe region to the increased intensity of heat waves until the end of the 21st century, further studies about increased mortality and morbidity risks due to heat waves in Istanbul and other cities, as well as intervention studies, are necessary.

scholarly journals Verification of Heat Stress Thresholds for a Health-Based Heat-Wave Definition

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 1177-1194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Di Napoli ◽  
Florian Pappenberger ◽  
Hannah L. Cloke
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Thermal Stress ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Warning System ◽  
High Heat ◽  
Probability Of Detection ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
Test Bed ◽  
Maximum Heat

AbstractHeat waves represent a threat to human health and excess mortality is one of the associated negative effects. A health-based definition for heat waves is therefore relevant, especially for early warning purposes, and it is here investigated via the universal thermal climate index (UTCI). The UTCI is a bioclimate index elaborated via an advanced model of human thermoregulation that estimates the thermal stress induced by air temperature, wind speed, moisture, and radiation on the human physiology. Using France as a test bed, the UTCI was computed from meteorological reanalysis data to assess the thermal stress conditions associated with heat-attributable excess mortality in five cities. UTCI values at different climatological percentiles were defined and evaluated in their ability to identify periods of excess mortality (PEMs) over 24 years. Using verification metrics such as the probability of detection (POD), the false alarm ratio (FAR), and the frequency bias (FB), daily minimum and maximum heat stress levels equal to or above corresponding UTCI 95th percentiles (15° ± 2°C and 34.5° ± 1.5°C, respectively) for 3 consecutive days are demonstrated to correlate to PEMs with the highest sensitivity and specificity (0.69 ≤ POD ≤ 1, 0.19 ≤ FAR ≤ 0.46, 1 ≤ FB ≤ 1.48) than minimum, maximum, and mean heat stress level singularly and other bioclimatological percentiles. This finding confirms the detrimental effect of prolonged, unusually high heat stress at day- and nighttime and suggests the UTCI 95th percentile as a health-meaningful threshold for a potential heat-health watch warning system.

scholarly journals Assessing excess mortality in Vienna and Austria after the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramon Bauer ◽  
Markus Speringer ◽  
Peter Frühwirt ◽  
Roman Seidl ◽  
Franz Trautinger
Keyword(s):  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
National Level ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Prediction Intervals ◽  
First Year ◽  
Expected Number ◽  
Mortality Trends ◽  
The Public ◽  
Definition Of

In Austria, the first confirmed COVID-19 death occurred in early March 2020. Since then, the question as to whether and, if so, to what extent the COVID-19 pandemic has increased overall mortality has been raised in the public and academic discourse. In an effort to answer this question, Statistics Vienna (City of Vienna, Department for Economic Affairs, Labour and Statistics) has evaluated the weekly mortality trends in Vienna, and compared them to the trends in other Austrian provinces. For our analysis, we draw on data from Statistics Austria and the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), which are published along with data on the actual and the expected weekly numbers of deaths via the Vienna Mortality Monitoring website. Based on the definition of excess mortality as the actual number of reported deaths from all causes minus the expected number of deaths, we calculate the weekly prediction intervals of the expected number of deaths for two age groups (0 to 64 years and 65 years and older). The temporal scope of the analysis covers not only the current COVID-19 pandemic, but also previous flu seasons and summer heat waves. The results show the actual weekly numbers of deaths and the corresponding prediction intervals for Vienna and the other Austrian provinces since 2007. Our analysis underlines the importance of comparing time series of COVID-19-related excess deaths at the sub-national level in order to highlight within-country heterogeneities.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document