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Evaluating the Risk of Epidemic Thunderstorm Asthma: Lessons from Australia

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  • Sharon L. Campbell

    (Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, 1 Liverpool St, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
    Public Health Services, Department of Health (Tasmania), 25 Argyle St, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia)

  • Paul D. Fox-Hughes

    (Bureau of Meteorology, GPO Box 727, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia)

  • Penelope J. Jones

    (Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, 1 Liverpool St, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia)

  • Tomas A. Remenyi

    (Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia)

  • Kate Chappell

    (Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, 1 Liverpool St, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia)

  • Christopher J. White

    (Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
    School of Engineering, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 65, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
    Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Strathclyde, James Weir Building, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow G1 1XJ, UK)

  • Fay H. Johnston

    (Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, 1 Liverpool St, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
    Public Health Services, Department of Health (Tasmania), 25 Argyle St, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia)

Abstract

Epidemic thunderstorm asthma (ETA) is an emerging public health threat in Australia, highlighted by the 2016 event in Melbourne, Victoria, that overwhelmed health services and caused loss of life. However, there is limited understanding of the regional variations in risk. We evaluated the public health risk of ETA in the nearby state of Tasmania by quantifying the frequency of potential ETA episodes and applying a standardized natural disaster risk assessment framework. Using a case–control approach, we analyzed emergency presentations in Tasmania’s public hospitals from 2002 to 2017. Cases were defined as days when asthma presentations exceeded four standard deviations from the mean, and controls as days when asthma presentations were less than one standard deviation from the mean. Four controls were randomly selected for each case. Independently, a meteorologist identified the dates of potential high-risk thunderstorm events. No case days coincided with thunderstorms during the study period. ETA was assessed as a very low risk to the Tasmanian population, with these findings informing risk prioritization and resource allocation. This approach may be scaled and applied in other settings to determine local ETA risk. Furthermore, the identification of hazards using this method allows for critical analysis of existing public health systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Sharon L. Campbell & Paul D. Fox-Hughes & Penelope J. Jones & Tomas A. Remenyi & Kate Chappell & Christopher J. White & Fay H. Johnston, 2019. "Evaluating the Risk of Epidemic Thunderstorm Asthma: Lessons from Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-12, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:5:p:837-:d:212018
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    Cited by:

    1. Mare Lõhmus & Tomas Lind & Laura MacLachlan & Agneta Ekebom & Björn Gedda & Pia Östensson & Antonios Georgelis, 2022. "Combined Exposure to Birch Pollen and Thunderstorms Affects Respiratory Health in Stockholm, Sweden—A Time Series Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-13, May.
    2. Nur Sabrina Idrose & Caroline J. Lodge & Bircan Erbas & Jo A. Douglass & Dinh S. Bui & Shyamali C. Dharmage, 2022. "A Review of the Respiratory Health Burden Attributable to Short-Term Exposure to Pollen," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-16, June.

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