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Motlogeloa O, Fitchett JM. Climate and human health: a review of publication trends in the International Journal of Biometeorology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2023:10.1007/s00484-023-02466-8. [PMID: 37129619 PMCID: PMC10153057 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-023-02466-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The climate-health nexus is well documented in the field of biometeorology. Since its inception, Biometeorology has in many ways become the umbrella under which much of this collaborative research has been conducted. Whilst a range of review papers have considered the development of biometeorological research and its coverage in this journal, and a few have reviewed the literature on specific diseases, none have focused on the sub-field of climate and health as a whole. Since its first issue in 1957, the International Journal of Biometeorology has published a total of 2183 papers that broadly consider human health and its relationship with climate. In this review, we identify a total of 180 (8.3%, n = 2183) of these papers that specifically focus on the intersection between meteorological variables and specific, named diagnosable diseases, and explore the publication trends thereof. The number of publications on climate and health in the journal increases considerably since 2011. The largest number of publications on the topic was in 2017 (18) followed by 2021 (17). Of the 180 studies conducted, respiratory diseases accounted for 37.2% of the publications, cardiovascular disease 17%, and cerebrovascular disease 11.1%. The literature on climate and health in the journal is dominated by studies from the global North, with a particular focus on Asia and Europe. Only 2.2% and 8.3% of these studies explore empirical evidence from the African continent and South America respectively. These findings highlight the importance of continued research on climate and human health, especially in low- and lower-middle-income countries, the populations of which are more vulnerable to climate-sensitive illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ogone Motlogeloa
- School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jennifer M Fitchett
- School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Krüger EL, Gobo JPA, Nedel AS, Gonçalves FLT, Lucio PS, Tejas GT, Piacenti-Silva M. A first approach to human biometeorology research in Brazil: a systematic review and meta-analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2022; 66:1297-1315. [PMID: 35419657 PMCID: PMC9007628 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-022-02288-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
This systematic review aims to give an overview of the diversity of research areas related to human biometeorology in Brazil. The main focus of this paper addresses research trends, represented by published papers with national and international authorship, main contributions and shortcomings, as well as challenges and prospects of research in this area of study. An extensive literature search was conducted in the Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases so as to identify relevant publication output up to July 2021 related to the research area. The screening resulted in 96 studies chosen for full-text reading. Overall, results indicated a reduced amount of articles on the subject matter published internationally, with noticeable gaps in research in some regions of the country, such as the Amazon region and in the Brazilian Midwest region. Research gaps in relevant areas have been identified with limited output in the climate dimensions of tourism, vector-borne diseases, mortality and morbidity in urban centers. Such gaps should further encourage researchers to engage in research focused on those areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo L Krüger
- Departamento de Construção Civil, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná - UTFPR /Campus Curitiba - Sede Ecoville, Rua Deputado Heitor Alencar Furtado, Curitiba, 4900, 81280-340, Brazil.
| | - João Paulo Assis Gobo
- Departamento de Geografia, Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Anderson Spohr Nedel
- Faculdade de Agronomia, Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul (UFFS), Cerro Largo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Fabio Luiz Teixeira Gonçalves
- Departamento de Ciências Atmosféricas/Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas/USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Sérgio Lucio
- Departamento de Ciências Atmosféricas E Climáticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte - UFRN, Natal, Brazil
| | | | - Marina Piacenti-Silva
- Faculdade de Ciências - Câmpus de Bauru, Universidade Estadual de São Paulo (UNESP), São Paulo, Brazil
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Fdez-Arróyabe P, Marti-Ezpeleta A, Royé D, Zarrabeitia AS. Effects of circulation weather types on influenza hospital admissions in Spain. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2021; 65:1325-1337. [PMID: 33758983 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-021-02107-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we use a statistical approach based on generalized additive models, linking atmospheric circulation and the number of influenza-related hospital admissions in the Spanish Iberian Peninsula during 2003-2013. The relative risks are estimated for administrative units in the Spanish territory, which is politically structured into 15 regions called autonomous communities. A catalog of atmospheric circulation types is defined for this purpose. The relationship between the exposure and response variables is modeled using a distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM). Types from southwest and anticyclonic are significant in terms of the probability of having more influenza-related hospital admissions for all of Spain. The heterogeneity of the results is very high. The relative risk is also estimated for each autonomous community and weather type, with the maximum number of influenza-related hospital admissions associated with circulation types from the southwest and the south. We identify six specific situations where relative risk is considered extreme and twelve with a high risk of increasing influenza-related hospital admissions. The rest of the situations present a moderate risk. Atmospheric local conditions become a key factor for understanding influenza spread in each spatial unit of the Peninsula. Further research is needed to understand how different weather variables (temperature, humidity, and sun radiation) interact and promote the spread of influenza.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Fdez-Arróyabe
- Geography and Planning Department, Universidad de Cantabria, 39005, Santander, Spain.
| | - Alberto Marti-Ezpeleta
- Department of Geography, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Dominic Royé
- Department of Geography, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Key Points in Air Pollution Meteorology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17228349. [PMID: 33187359 PMCID: PMC7697832 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17228349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Although emissions have a direct impact on air pollution, meteorological processes may influence inmission concentration, with the only way to control air pollution being through the rates emitted. This paper presents the close relationship between air pollution and meteorology following the scales of atmospheric motion. In macroscale, this review focuses on the synoptic pattern, since certain weather types are related to pollution episodes, with the determination of these weather types being the key point of these studies. The contrasting contribution of cold fronts is also presented, whilst mathematical models are seen to increase the analysis possibilities of pollution transport. In mesoscale, land-sea and mountain-valley breezes may reinforce certain pollution episodes, and recirculation processes are sometimes favoured by orographic features. The urban heat island is also considered, since the formation of mesovortices determines the entry of pollutants into the city. At the microscale, the influence of the boundary layer height and its evolution are evaluated; in particular, the contribution of the low-level jet to pollutant transport and dispersion. Local meteorological variables have a major influence on calculations with the Gaussian plume model, whilst some eddies are features exclusive to urban environments. Finally, the impact of air pollution on meteorology is briefly commented on.
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Fdez-Arroyabe P, Salcines Suárez CL, Nita IA, Kassomenos P, Petrou E, Santurtún A. Electrical characterization of circulation weather types in Northern Spain based on atmospheric nanoparticles measurements: A pilot study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 704:135320. [PMID: 31836218 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The electrical component of the atmosphere is a key element to understand bio-effects of atmospheric processes. In this paper an attempt was made to find possible interactions between air masses arriving in Santander, Northern Spain, and electrical properties of nanoparticles measured in this zone. A methodological approach is proposed to characterize electrically the predominant weather types in the study area. An electrical low pressure impactor device (ELPI®+) was used to measure atmospheric particles net charge and particle net charge distribution in real time in July 2018, among other parameters. Data from two specific channels [0.054-0.071 μm] and [2.5-3.0 μm] has been initially used. Atmospheric circulation was defined attending to two, subjective and objective, weather type classifications. Back trajectories of nanoparticles were also computed by the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model. Results confirm that atmospheric nanoparticles charge varies according to their size. The highest mean absolute charge is associated with local circulation in Santander for both channels. The studied nanoparticles show a quicker reaction to weather conditions than microparticles. They also have a significant correlation with meteorological variables for 18 synoptic groups found, but humidity. Microparticles [2.5-3.0 μm] are negatively related with air humidity, mainly with S-SE circulation pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Fdez-Arroyabe
- University of Cantabria, Department of Geography and Planning, Geobiomet Research Group, Santander, Spain.
| | | | - Ion-Andrei Nita
- National Meteorological Administration, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Doctoral School of Geosciences, Iasi, Romania
| | - Pavlos Kassomenos
- University of Ioannina, Department of Physics, Laboratory of Meteorology, GR-45110 Ioannina, Greece.
| | - Elias Petrou
- University of Ioannina, Department of Physics, Laboratory of Meteorology, GR-45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Ana Santurtún
- University of Cantabria, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Geobiomet Research Group, Santander, Spain.
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Andrew E, Nehme Z, Bernard S, Abramson MJ, Newbigin E, Piper B, Dunlop J, Holman P, Smith K. Stormy weather: a retrospective analysis of demand for emergency medical services during epidemic thunderstorm asthma. BMJ 2017; 359:j5636. [PMID: 29237604 PMCID: PMC5727436 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.j5636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe the demand for emergency medical assistance during the largest outbreak of thunderstorm asthma reported globally, which occurred on 21 November 2016. DESIGN A time series analysis was conducted of emergency medical service caseload between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2016. Demand during the thunderstorm asthma event was compared to historical trends for the overall population and across specific subgroups. SETTING Victoria, Australia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Number of overall cases attended by emergency medical services, and within patient subgroups. RESULTS On 21 November 2016, the emergency medical service received calls for 2954 cases, which was 1014 more cases than the average over the historical period. Between 6 pm and midnight, calls for 1326 cases were received, which was 2.5 times higher than expected. A total of 332 patients were assessed by paramedics as having acute respiratory distress on 21 November, compared with a daily average of 52 during the historical period. After adjustment for temporal trends, thunderstorm asthma was associated with a 42% (95% confidence interval 40% to 44%) increase in overall caseload for the emergency medical service and a 432% increase in emergency medical attendances for acute respiratory distress symptoms. Emergency transports to hospital increased by 17% (16% to 19%) and time critical referrals from general practitioners increased by 47% (21% to 80%). Large increases in demand were seen among patients with a history of asthma and bronchodilator use. The incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest increased by 82% (67% to 99%) and pre-hospital deaths by 41% (29% to 55%). CONCLUSIONS An unprecedented outbreak of thunderstorm asthma was associated with substantial increase in demand for emergency medical services and pre-hospital cardiac arrest. The health impact of future events may be minimised through use of preventive measures by patients and predictive early warning systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Andrew
- Centre for Research and Evaluation, Ambulance Victoria, Doncaster, VIC 3108, Australia 3108
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Ziad Nehme
- Centre for Research and Evaluation, Ambulance Victoria, Doncaster, VIC 3108, Australia 3108
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia
| | - Stephen Bernard
- Centre for Research and Evaluation, Ambulance Victoria, Doncaster, VIC 3108, Australia 3108
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Intensive Care Unit, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Michael J Abramson
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Ed Newbigin
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Ben Piper
- Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority, Burwood East, VIC 3151, Australia 3151
| | - Justin Dunlop
- Emergency Management Unit, Ambulance Victoria, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Paul Holman
- Emergency Management Unit, Ambulance Victoria, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Karen Smith
- Centre for Research and Evaluation, Ambulance Victoria, Doncaster, VIC 3108, Australia 3108
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia
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