Article
Environmental Sciences
Sylvester Dodzi Nyadanu, Gizachew Assefa Tessema, Ben Mullins, Gavin Pereira
Summary: This study investigated the acute effect of maternal exposure to thermophysiological stress on the risk of stillbirth, and found positive associations between cold and heat stresses and higher risks of stillbirth. The study also found that these effects were modified by fetal and maternal sociodemographic factors.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Clare Faurie, Blesson M. Varghese, Jingwen Liu, Peng Bi
Summary: This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effects of extreme heat on heat-related illness. The results showed that for every 1-degree Celsius increase in temperature, the morbidity and mortality of heat-related illnesses increased by 18% and 35% respectively. Direct heat illness had the greatest increase, and individuals aged over 65 and those living in subtropical climates were more vulnerable to the risks.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jagadeesh Puvvula, Azar M. Abadi, Kathryn C. Conlon, Jared J. Rennie, Stephanie C. Herring, Lauren Thie, Max J. Rudolph, Rebecca Owen, Jesse E. Bell
Summary: This study estimated the burden of heat-related illness attributable to anthropogenic climate change in different regions of North Carolina and predicted the future impact. The results showed a significant association between anthropogenic climate change and adverse human health outcomes.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jin-young Min, Hyeong-Seong Lee, Yeon-Soo Choi, Kyoung-bok Min
Summary: This study found that Koreans with low income had a higher prevalence of heat- or cold-related illnesses compared to those with high income. The lower income group showed a greater likelihood of heat- or cold-related illnesses, suggesting the need for strategies to reduce the impact of extreme temperature events on vulnerable populations.
Article
Environmental Studies
Dongying Li, Galen D. Newman, Bev Wilson, Yue Zhang, Robert D. Brown
Summary: Place-based structural inequalities, such as historical redlining policies, contribute to disparities in intra-urban heat exposure and heat-related health outcomes. Areas with higher proportions of redlining showed elevated land surface temperatures and increased rates of heat-related outpatient visits and inpatient admissions, even after adjusting for social vulnerability indicators. The study emphasizes the need for equity-based urban heat planning and management strategies to address the impacts of historical discriminatory policies on health disparities.
ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING B-URBAN ANALYTICS AND CITY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Jiangdong Liu, Chuanzhu Lv, Jiaqi Zheng, Chang Pan, Guoqiang Zhang, Huiqiong Tan, Yu Ma, Yimin Zhu, Xiaotong Han, Chaoqian Li, Shengtao Yan, Jingjing Ma, Jianbo Zhang, Chunyi Wang, Yuan Bian, Kai Cheng, Rugang Liu, Yaping Hou, Qiran Chen, Xuan Zhang, Yuguo Chen, Renjie Chen, Feng Xu
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of future climate change on the burden of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Northern China due to non-optimal temperatures, heatwaves, and cold spells. The findings showed that high temperatures, heatwaves, low temperatures, and cold spells were all significantly associated with an increased risk of OHCA onset. Under global warming, the burden of OHCA attributable to heatwaves and high temperatures would increase, while the burden attributable to cold spells would decrease gradually.
LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-WESTERN PACIFIC
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hamid Reza Shoraka, Omid Aboubakri, Joan Ballester, Rahim Sharafkhani
Summary: This study estimated the morbidity risk/number attributed to extreme temperatures in a region of Iran from 2015 to 2019 using a time-stratified case crossover study and distributed lag non-linear model. The findings showed that cold temperatures had a significant adverse effect on all groups, while the impact of heat on hospital admissions was minimal. The study highlights the need for interventions in cold seasons by policymakers.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Meng Pan, Tao Wang, Bowen Hu, Penglan Shi, Jun Xu, Min Zhang
Summary: Global climate change scenarios predict that lake water temperatures will increase, leading to more frequent extreme weather events and potential changes in diversity and structure of bacteria communities. Our study shows that warming treatments may accelerate submerged macrophyte litter decomposition and increase the diversity of decomposition-related bacteria.
Article
Biophysics
Chibuzor Abasilim, Lee S. Friedman
Summary: As climate changes, heat waves are predicted to increase and public health interventions related to heat need to be strengthened to reduce injuries. Despite the higher rate of heat injuries on heat wave days, only a small portion of heat injuries occur during reported heat waves.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yixuan Jiang, Shaodong Yi, Chuanyu Gao, Yuguo Chen, Jiyan Chen, Xianghua Fu, Lixia Yang, Xiangqing Kong, Mao Chen, Haidong Kan, Dingcheng Xiang, Xi Su, Renjie Chen
Summary: This study assessed the impact of cold spells on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) onset and found a significant association between cold spells and increased risk of AMI. The risk of AMI was higher with more stringent definitions of cold spells. Patients aged 65 years or older were more susceptible to the effects of cold spells. The association between cold spells and AMI risk was weaker in regions with centralized heating.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ana M. Vicedo-Cabrera, Evan de Schrijver, Dominik L. Schumacher, Martina S. Ragettli, Erich M. Fischer, Sonia Seneviratne
Summary: Human-induced climate change is resulting in more frequent and intense extreme weather events, which are having a severe impact on population health. The summer of 2022 in Europe experienced exceptionally high temperatures, second only to the infamous summer of 2003. High ambient temperatures are associated with various health outcomes, including premature mortality. However, there is limited quantitative evidence on the contribution of human-induced climate change to the observed heat-related mortality. This study combines climate epidemiology and attribution methods to quantify the heat-related mortality burden attributed to human-induced climate change in Switzerland during the summer of 2022. The findings show that human-induced climate change was a significant driver of the excess health burden observed during that summer.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Sport Sciences
Kirsty A. M. Waldock, Oliver R. Gibson, Rebecca L. Relf, Gregor Eichhorn, Mark Hayes, Peter W. Watt, Neil S. Maxwell
Summary: This study investigated the efficacy of heat acclimation in the young and elderly following exercise, as well as post-exercise hot water immersion heat acclimation. The results showed that heat acclimation induced improvements in thermoregulation, perception, and exercise performance, regardless of age or intervention. Both exercise-induced heat acclimation and post-exercise hot water immersion are considered viable interventions to prepare the elderly for heat stress.
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND MEDICINE IN SPORT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Julianne D. Skarha, Keith A. Spangler, David Dosa, Josiah Rich, David Savitz, Antonella Zanobetti
Summary: Rising temperatures and heatwaves increase mortality among incarcerated populations in prisons, especially for those aged 65 and above, incarcerated for less than one year, held in the Northeast region, and in urban or rural counties. The study found that a 10 degrees F increase in temperature was associated with a 5.2% increase in total mortality and a 6.7% increase in heart disease mortality. Two- and three-day heatwaves were associated with increased total mortality of 5.5% and 7.4%, respectively, and an extreme heat day was associated with a 22.8% increase in suicides.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lu Zhou, Cheng He, Ho Kim, Yasushi Honda, Whanhee Lee, Masahiro Hashizume, Renjie Chen, Haidong Kan
Summary: The study found that climate change will exacerbate the burden of heat-related stroke mortality in East Asia. There are geographical differences in the magnitude of the increase in different regions.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zachary Kearl, Jason Vogel
Summary: Heat waves are becoming more common and intense around the world as a result of climate change. Extreme heat can be fatal for people who are unacclimated or unable to seek relief. Public health efforts should consider important contextual factors in policy responses to effectively reduce heat-related illnesses and deaths.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Bin Jalaludin, Frances L. Garden, Agata Chrzanowska, Budi Haryanto, Christine T. Cowie, Fatma Lestari, Geoffrey Morgan, Soumya Mazumdar, Kasey Metcalf, Guy B. Marks
Summary: The study found that there is a slight positive association between PM2.5 levels from forest fires and cognitive function. Children living in forest fire-prone provinces did not show differences in RCPM scores compared to those living in non-forest fire-prone provinces, but long-term residence in forest fire-prone provinces negatively impacted cognitive scores.
ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Timothy B. Chaston, Richard A. Broome, Nathan Cooper, Gerard Duck, Christy Geromboux, Yuming Guo, Fei Ji, Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, Ying Zhang, Gnanadarsha S. Dissanayake, Geoffrey G. Morgan, Ivan C. Hanigan
Summary: Heatwaves in Sydney are exacerbated by the urban heat island effect, with the likelihood of exceeding heatwave thresholds increasing by more than 90%. This could further worsen due to climate change, with the potential for a fourfold increase in the number of heatwave days. However, tree planting and increased green cover can help mitigate the urban heat and offset the rise in heat-attributable deaths.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew Fu Wah Ho, Zhongxun Hu, Ting Zhen Cheryl Woo, Kenneth Boon Kiat Tan, Jia Hao Lim, Maye Woo, Nan Liu, Geoffrey G. Morgan, Marcus Eng Hock Ong, Joel Aik
Summary: Exposure to air pollution may lead to increased demand for emergency healthcare services, especially in South-East Asia. This study found an association between air quality and emergency hospital admissions in Singapore, with certain pollutants being positively correlated with different categories of emergency admissions. Age and gender were identified as modifiers of all-cause admissions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Farhad Salimi, Ania Stasinska, Geoffrey G. Morgan, Graeme J. Hankey, Osvaldo Almeida, Bu Yeap, Leon Flicker, Jane Heyworth
Summary: This study investigated the associations between long-term exposures to PM2.5, PM2.5 absorbance, and NO2 and hospitalisation for respiratory diseases in older men living in Perth, Australia. The results showed no significant associations between increased long-term exposure to low-level air pollution and increased risk of hospitalisation for respiratory diseases.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Edward Jegasothy, Ivan C. Hanigan, Joe Van Buskirk, Geoffrey G. Morgan, Bin Jalaludin, Fay H. Johnston, Yuming Guo, Richard A. Broome
Summary: This study aimed to estimate the effect of bushfire-related PM2.5 on mortality risk in Sydney, Australia from 2010 to 2020. The results showed that exposure to bushfire PM2.5 was associated with an increased risk of mortality, particularly in those aged 65 years and over.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jingwen Liu, Alana Hansen, Blesson M. Varghese, Keith Dear, Michael Tong, Vanessa Prescott, Vergil Dolar, Michelle Gourley, Timothy Driscoll, Ying Zhang, Geoffrey Morgan, Anthony Capon, Peng Bi
Summary: With the increasing health risk of high temperature due to climate change, it is important to quantify the scale of the problem. However, estimating the burden of disease (BoD) attributable to high temperature can be challenging due to geographical variations in risk patterns and data accessibility issues. This study presents a methodological framework that refines exposure levels using Koppen-Geiger climate zones and estimates the difference between observed burden and theoretical minimum risk exposure distribution (TMRED). It can be used to estimate burdens across climate zones and enhance the reproducibility and transparency of BoD research.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Nguyen Thi Trang Nhung, Vu Tri Duc, Vo Duc Ngoc, Tran Minh Dien, Le Tu Hoang, Tran Thi Thuy Ha, Pham Minh Khue, Ngo Xuan Truong, Nguyen Thi Nhat Thanh, Edward Jegasothy, Guy B. Marks, Geoffrey Morgan
Summary: The study in Vietnam found that PM2.5 concentrations in multiple provinces exceeded both WHO and proposed national standards. Hanoi City had the highest number of attributable deaths if WHO guidelines were met. Local authorities need to implement effective clean air action plans to reduce pollution and improve community health.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yong Song, Ling Chen, Ellen Bennett, Amanda J. Wheeler, Katherine Southam, Seiha Yen, Fay Johnston, Graeme R. Zosky
Summary: Emerging evidence suggests that inhalation of particulate matter (PM) can have direct adverse effects on liver function. However, in utero exposure to residential PM during mid-late pregnancy has limited impacts on post-natal liver development, except for evidence of liver genomic DNA damage.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Hisham M. Abu-Rayya, John W. Berry, David L. Sam, Dmitry Grigoryev
Summary: The Integration Hypothesis states that migrants who adopt the integration strategy have better psychological and socio-cultural adaptation. This hypothesis was supported by the evaluation of the ICSEY project data. In this paper, two new methods were used to further evaluate this hypothesis and the results provided support for it.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Respiratory System
Vanessa M. Mcdonald, Gregory Archbold, Tesfalidet Beyene, Bronwyn K. Brew, Peter Franklin, Peter G. Gibson, John Harrington, Philip M. Hansbro, Fay H. Johnston, Paul D. Robinson, Michael Sutherland, Deborah Yates, Graeme R. Zosky, Michael J. Abramson
Summary: Landscape fires are becoming more frequent and severe worldwide, causing a significant health and socioeconomic burden, especially in Australia. People with asthma are especially susceptible to the effects of landscape fire smoke (LFS) exposure. This position statement highlights the impact of LFS on individuals with asthma, particularly vulnerable groups, and provides guidance on asthma management, smoke mitigation strategies, and access to air quality information during periods of LFS.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sharon Campbell, Tomas Remenyi, Fay Johnston
Summary: Anthropogenic climate change is causing a rise in global temperatures, resulting in an increase in heatwave events and negative health outcomes. This study calculates the health care costs associated with heatwaves in Tasmania and models the economic burden for projected frequencies. It finds that a population adapted to heatwaves has significantly lower costs compared to a non-adapted population. These findings highlight the importance of population adaptation to extreme heat and the need for further understanding of future health care costs related to climate change.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sotiris Vardoulakis, Fay H. Johnston, Nigel Goodman, Geoffrey G. Morgan, Dorothy L. Robinson
Summary: This study estimated the number of deaths and cost attributable to wood heater smoke in the Australian Capital Territory. The results showed that wood heater emissions contributed to PM2.5 concentration and caused a significant number of deaths, as well as considerable economic losses. Therefore, measures should be taken to reduce the use of wood heaters.
MEDICAL JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Andrew Fu Wah Ho, Jamie S. Y. How, Benjamin Yong-Qiang Tan, Seyed Ehsan Safari, Jun Wei Yeo, Ching-Hui Sia, Meng Wang, Joel Aik, Huili Zheng, Geoffrey Morgan, Wilson Wai San Tam, Wei Jie Seow, Marcus Eng Hock Ong
Summary: This study found that increased PM2.5 concentrations were associated with an initial increased risk of OHCA, followed by a reduced risk from 3-5 days after exposure. No significant associations were observed between increased concentrations of other pollutants (PM10, O-3, NO2, SO2) and OHCA risk. Decreasing PM2.5 concentrations could reduce the number of OHCA events.
LANCET PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Jingwen Liu, Blesson M. Varghese, Alana Hansen, Ying Zhang, Timothy Driscoll, Geoffrey Morgan, Keith Dear, Michelle Gourley, Anthony Capon, Peng Bi
Summary: This study reviews the association between heat exposure and cardiovascular disease outcomes, finding a significant positive correlation between high temperatures/heatwaves and cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. Women, individuals aged 65 and older, those living in tropical climates, and individuals in lower-middle income countries are at a higher risk. The findings emphasize the need for evidence-based prevention measures to mitigate the adverse effects of high temperatures on cardiovascular health.
LANCET PLANETARY HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Nguyen T. T. Nhung, Edward Jegasothy, Nguyen T. K. Ngan, Ngo X. Truong, Nguyen T. N. Thanh, Guy B. Marks, Geoffrey G. Morgan
Summary: This study investigated the mortality burden due to PM2.5 exposure among adults living in Hanoi in 2017. The results showed that the PM2.5 concentrations in all districts of Hanoi exceeded the Vietnam Ambient National Standard, and a significant number of deaths could be avoided by reducing air pollution concentrations.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)