IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v13y2016i1p132-d62321.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact of Heatwaves on Community Morbidity and Healthcare Usage: A Retrospective Observational Study Using Real-Time Syndromic Surveillance

Author

Listed:
  • Sue Smith

    (Real-Time Syndromic Surveillance Team, Public Health England, Birmingham B3 2PW, UK)

  • Alex J. Elliot

    (Real-Time Syndromic Surveillance Team, Public Health England, Birmingham B3 2PW, UK)

  • Shakoor Hajat

    (NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Change and Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK)

  • Angie Bone

    (Extreme Events and Health Protection, Public Health England, London SE1 8UG, UK)

  • Chris Bates

    (ResearchOne, The Phoenix Partnership, Leeds LS18 5TN, UK)

  • Gillian E. Smith

    (Real-Time Syndromic Surveillance Team, Public Health England, Birmingham B3 2PW, UK)

  • Sari Kovats

    (NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Change and Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK)

Abstract

We investigated the impact of a moderate heatwave on a range of presenting morbidities in England. Asthma, difficulty breathing, cerebrovascular accident, and cardiovascular symptoms were analysed using general practitioner in hours (GPIH), out of hours (GPOOH) and emergency department (ED) syndromic surveillance systems. Data were stratified by age group and compared between a heatwave year (2013) and non-heatwave years (2012, 2014). Incidence rate ratios were calculated to estimate the differential impact of heatwave compared to non-heatwave summers: there were no apparent differences for the morbidities tested between the 2013 heatwave and non-heatwave years. A subset of GPIH data were used to study individuals at higher risk from heatwaves based on their pre-existing disease. Higher risk patients were not more likely to present at GPs or ED than other individuals. Comparing GPIH consultations and ED attendances for myocardial infarction/ischaemia (MI), there was evidence of a fall in the presentation of MI during the heatwave, which was particularly noted in the 65–74 years age group (and over 75 years in ED attendances). These results indicate the difficulty in identifying individuals at risk from non-fatal health effects of heatwaves and hot weather.

Suggested Citation

  • Sue Smith & Alex J. Elliot & Shakoor Hajat & Angie Bone & Chris Bates & Gillian E. Smith & Sari Kovats, 2016. "The Impact of Heatwaves on Community Morbidity and Healthcare Usage: A Retrospective Observational Study Using Real-Time Syndromic Surveillance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:13:y:2016:i:1:p:132-:d:62321
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/13/1/132/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/13/1/132/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mengmeng Li & Shaohua Gu & Peng Bi & Jun Yang & Qiyong Liu, 2015. "Heat Waves and Morbidity: Current Knowledge and Further Direction-A Comprehensive Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-28, May.
    2. Vandentorren, S. & Suzan, F. & Medina, S. & Pascal, M. & Maulpoix, A. & Cohen, J.-C. & Ledrans, M., 2004. "Mortality in 13 French cities during the August 2003 heat wave," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 94(9), pages 1518-1520.
    3. Whitman, S. & Good, G. & Donoghue, E.R. & Benbow, N. & Shou, W. & Mou, S., 1997. "Mortality in Chicago attributed to the July 1995 heat wave," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 87(9), pages 1515-1518.
    4. GS Leonardi & S Hajat & RS Kovats & GE Smith & D Cooper & E Gerard, 2006. "Syndromic surveillance use to detect the early effects of heat-waves: an analysis of NHS Direct data in England," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 51(4), pages 194-201, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Alina Herrmann & Rainer Sauerborn, 2018. "General Practitioners’ Perceptions of Heat Health Impacts on the Elderly in the Face of Climate Change—A Qualitative Study in Baden-Württemberg, Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-21, April.
    2. Nguyen Thi Trang Nhung & Le Tu Hoang & Tran Thi Tuyet Hanh & Luu Quoc Toan & Nguyen Duc Thanh & Nguyen Xuan Truong & Nguyen Anh Son & Hoong Van Nhat & Nguyen Huu Quyen & Ha Van Nhu, 2023. "Effects of Heatwaves on Hospital Admissions for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Diseases, in Southern Vietnam, 2010–2018: Time Series Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-11, February.
    3. Andri Pyrgou & Mat Santamouris, 2018. "Increasing Probability of Heat-Related Mortality in a Mediterranean City Due to Urban Warming," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-14, July.
    4. Matteo Paganini & Nikolaos Markou-Pappas & Francesco Della Corte & Paolo Rosi & Giulio Trillò & Marialuisa Ferramosca & Andrea Paoli & Federico Politi & Adriano Valerio & Andrea Favaro & Ives Hubloue , 2024. "Heatwaves Impact on Prehospital Emergency Medicine: A Qualitative Study to Improve Sustainability and Disaster Preparedness in Veneto Region, Northern Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-13, August.
    5. Mahmoud Alsaiqali & Katrien De Troeyer & Lidia Casas & Rafiq Hamdi & Christel Faes & Gijs Van Pottelbergh, 2022. "The Effects of Heatwaves on Human Morbidity in Primary Care Settings: A Case-Crossover Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-10, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Simon Gosling & Jason Lowe & Glenn McGregor & Mark Pelling & Bruce Malamud, 2009. "Associations between elevated atmospheric temperature and human mortality: a critical review of the literature," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 92(3), pages 299-341, February.
    2. Amruta Nori-Sarma & Tarik Benmarhnia & Ajit Rajiva & Gulrez Shah Azhar & Prakash Gupta & Mangesh S. Pednekar & Michelle L. Bell, 2019. "Advancing our Understanding of Heat Wave Criteria and Associated Health Impacts to Improve Heat Wave Alerts in Developing Country Settings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-13, June.
    3. Robert E. Davis & Wendy M. Novicoff, 2018. "The Impact of Heat Waves on Emergency Department Admissions in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S.A," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-16, July.
    4. Steffen Merte, 2017. "Estimating heat wave-related mortality in Europe using singular spectrum analysis," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 142(3), pages 321-330, June.
    5. Sharon L. Campbell & Tomas A. Remenyi & Grant J. Williamson & Christopher J. White & Fay H. Johnston, 2019. "The Value of Local Heatwave Impact Assessment: A Case-Crossover Analysis of Hospital Emergency Department Presentations in Tasmania, Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-14, October.
    6. Martina S. Ragettli & Apolline Saucy & Benjamin Flückiger & Danielle Vienneau & Kees de Hoogh & Ana M. Vicedo-Cabrera & Christian Schindler & Martin Röösli, 2023. "Explorative Assessment of the Temperature–Mortality Association to Support Health-Based Heat-Warning Thresholds: A National Case-Crossover Study in Switzerland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-16, March.
    7. Moazami, Amin & Nik, Vahid M. & Carlucci, Salvatore & Geving, Stig, 2019. "Impacts of future weather data typology on building energy performance – Investigating long-term patterns of climate change and extreme weather conditions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 696-720.
    8. John Nairn & Bertram Ostendorf & Peng Bi, 2018. "Performance of Excess Heat Factor Severity as a Global Heatwave Health Impact Index," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-26, November.
    9. Claire Demoury & Raf Aerts & Bram Vandeninden & Bert Van Schaeybroeck & Eva M. De Clercq, 2022. "Impact of Short-Term Exposure to Extreme Temperatures on Mortality: A Multi-City Study in Belgium," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-13, March.
    10. Pierre Masselot & Fateh Chebana & Taha B. M. J. Ouarda & Diane Bélanger & Pierre Gosselin, 2022. "Data-Enhancement Strategies in Weather-Related Health Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-13, January.
    11. G. Brooke Anderson & Keith W. Oleson & Bryan Jones & Roger D. Peng, 2018. "Classifying heatwaves: developing health-based models to predict high-mortality versus moderate United States heatwaves," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 146(3), pages 439-453, February.
    12. Zhiwei Xu & Perry E. Sheffield & Wenbiao Hu & Hong Su & Weiwei Yu & Xin Qi & Shilu Tong, 2012. "Climate Change and Children’s Health—A Call for Research on What Works to Protect Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-19, September.
    13. Jae-Ik Kim & Myung-Jin Jun & Chang-Hwan Yeo & Ki-Hyun Kwon & Jun Yong Hyun, 2019. "The Effects of Land Use Zoning and Densification on Changes in Land Surface Temperature in Seoul," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-14, December.
    14. Rizmie, Dheeya & de Preux, Laure & Miraldo, Marisa & Atun, Rifat, 2022. "Impact of extreme temperatures on emergency hospital admissions by age and socio-economic deprivation in England," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).
    15. Sabrina K. Beckmann & Michael Hiete, 2020. "Predictors Associated with Health-Related Heat Risk Perception of Urban Citizens in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-11, January.
    16. Vaneckova, Pavla & Beggs, Paul J. & Jacobson, Carol R., 2010. "Spatial analysis of heat-related mortality among the elderly between 1993 and 2004 in Sydney, Australia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(2), pages 293-304, January.
    17. Katherine E. Bishop-Williams & Lea Berrang-Ford & Jan M. Sargeant & David L. Pearl & Shuaib Lwasa & Didacus Bambaiha Namanya & Victoria L. Edge & Ashlee Cunsolo & IHACC Research Team & Bwindi Communit, 2018. "Understanding Weather and Hospital Admissions Patterns to Inform Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in the Healthcare Sector in Uganda," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-14, October.
    18. Chen, Ping-Yu & Chen, Chi-Chung & Chang, Chia-Lin, 2011. "Multiple Threshold Effects for Temperature and Mortality," MPRA Paper 35521, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Riyi Li & Yufeng Zhang & Yumeng Cui, 2023. "Assessment of Outdoor Pedestrian Ventilation Performance While Controlling Building Array Scale and Density," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-27, April.
    20. Hasan Sohail & Virpi Kollanus & Pekka Tiittanen & Alexandra Schneider & Timo Lanki, 2020. "Heat, Heatwaves and Cardiorespiratory Hospital Admissions in Helsinki, Finland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-11, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:13:y:2016:i:1:p:132-:d:62321. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.