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Liu J, Peng F, Cheng H, Zhang D, Zhang Y, Wang L, Tang F, Wang J, Wan Y, Wu J, Zhou Y, Feng W, Peng C. Chronic cold environment regulates rheumatoid arthritis through modulation of gut microbiota-derived bile acids. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166837. [PMID: 37689184 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
The pathologies of many diseases are influenced by environmental temperature. As early as the classical Roman age, people believed that exposure to cold weather was bad for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, there is no direct evidence supporting this notion, and the molecular mechanisms of the effects of chronic cold exposure on RA remain unknown. Here, in a temperature-conditioned environment, we found that chronic cold exposure aggravates collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) by increasing ankle swelling, bone erosion, and cytokine levels in rats. Furthermore, in chronic cold-exposed CIA rats, gut microbiota dysbiosis was identified, including a decrease in the differential relative abundance of the families Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae. We also found that an antibiotic cocktail suppressed arthritis severity under cold conditions. Notably, the fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) results showed that transplantation of cold-adapted microbiota partly recapitulated the microbiota signature in the respective donor rats and phenocopied the cold-induced effects on CIA rats. In addition, cold exposure disturbed bile acid profiles, in particular decreasing gut microbiota-derived taurohyodeoxycholic acid (THDCA) levels. The perturbation of bile acids was also associated with activation of the TGR5-cAMP-PKA axis and NLRP3 inflammasome. Oral THDCA supplementation mitigated the arthritis exacerbation induced by chronic cold exposure. Our findings identify an important role of aberrant gut microbiota-derived bile acids in cold exposure-related RA, highlighting potential opportunities to treat cold-related RA by manipulating the gut microbiota and/or supplementing with THDCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610072, China
| | - Fu Peng
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hao Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Standardization of Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yuxi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Lixia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Fei Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yan Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Jing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yinlin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Wuwen Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Standardization of Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China.
| | - Cheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China; Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Standardization of Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China.
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Ge Y, Wang S, Shi Q, Shi J, Tian J. Geospatial analysis of the hospitalisation rate of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Hunan: a cross-sectional Chinese study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e075088. [PMID: 38000823 PMCID: PMC10679990 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-075088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Little is known about spatial variability of hospitalisation rate (HR) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) worldwide, especially in China. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with RA admitted to hospitals in Hunan Province. Global Moran's I and local indicators of spatial association were used to explore the geospatial pattern of the HR of patients with RA. Generalised estimating equation analysis and geographically weighted regression were used to identify the potential influencing factors of the HR of patients with RA. RESULTS There were a total of 11 599 admissions, and the average HR was 1.57 per 10 000 population in Hunan. We detected different cluster patterns of the HR among patients with RA by local indicators of spatial association. Age, ethnicity, average temperature, average temperature range, average rainfall, regions, gross domestic product per capita, and doctors and hospitals per 10 000 people were risk factors for the HR. However, only average temperature, gross domestic product per capita and hospitals per 10 000 people showed different regression coefficients on the HR in different counties. The increase in hospitals increased the probability of HR from east to west in Hunan with a positive coefficient, while temperature decreases increased the risk of HR from south to north negatively. Similarly, the growth of gross domestic product per capita decreased the probability of HR from southwest to northeast. CONCLUSION A non-random spatial distribution of the HR of patients with RA was demonstrated in Hunan, and average temperature, gross domestic product per capita and hospitals per 10 000 people showed different regression coefficients on the HR in different counties. Our study indicated that spatial and geostatistics may be useful approaches for further study among patients with RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Ge
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Clinical Medical Research Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shiwen Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qianshan Shi
- Information Statistics Center of Health Commission of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jingcheng Shi
- Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jing Tian
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Clinical Medical Research Center for Systemic Autoimmune Diseases in Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Oberemok VV, Andreeva O, Laikova K, Alieva E, Temirova Z. Rheumatoid Arthritis Has Won the Battle but Not the War: How Many Joints Will We Save Tomorrow? MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1853. [PMID: 37893571 PMCID: PMC10608469 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59101853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis refers to joint diseases of unclear etiology whose final stages can lead to unbearable pain and complete immobility of the affected joints. As one of the most widely known diseases of the joints, it serves as a study target for a large number of research groups and pharmaceutical companies. Modern treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs, including janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, and botanicals (polyphenols, glycosides, alkaloids, etc.) has achieved some success and hope for improving the course of the disease. However, existing drugs against RA have a number of side effects which push researchers to elaborate on more selective and effective drug candidates. The avant-garde of research, which aims to develop treatment of rheumatoid arthritis using antisense oligonucleotides along with nonsteroidal drugs and corticosteroids against inflammation, increases the chances of success and expands the arsenal of drugs. The primary goal in the treatment of this disease is to find therapies that allow patients with rheumatoid arthritis to move their joints without pain. The main purpose of this review is to show the victories and challenges for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and the tortuous but promising path of research that aims to help patients experience the joy of freely moving joints without pain.
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Grants
- No. FZEG-2021-0009 Department of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnologies, Institute of Biochemical Technologies, Ecology and Pharmacy, V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Simferopol, Crimea
- No. FZEG-2021-0009 Department of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnologies, Institute of Biochemical Technologies, Ecology and Pharmacy, V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Simferopol, Crimea
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Affiliation(s)
- Volodymyr V. Oberemok
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnologies, Institute of Biochemical Technologies, Ecology and Pharmacy, V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Simferopol 295007, Crimea; (O.A.); (K.L.); (E.A.); (Z.T.)
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Chen C, He YS, Tao SS, Fang Y, Zhang RD, Fang X, Jiang LQ, Zhao Y, Musonye HA, Tao JH, Pan HF. Climate change and daily outpatient visits for dermatomyositis in Hefei, China: a time-series study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:101053-101063. [PMID: 37644268 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29542-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
With the deepening of research on the correlation between meteorological factors and autoimmune diseases, the relationship between climate change and dermatomyositis (DM) has come to our attention. This study aimed to explore the short-term correlation between meteorological factors and DM outpatient visits. Daily records of hospital outpatient visits for DM, air pollutants, and meteorological factor data in Hefei from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021 were obtained. The mean temperature (MT), relative humidity (RH), diurnal temperature range (DTR), and temperature change between neighboring days (TCN) were used to quantify environmental temperature and humidity and their variations. And we performed a time series analysis using a generalized linear model (GLM) in combination with a distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM). Furthermore, gender and age were further stratified for the analysis. The sensitivity analysis was also performed. A total of 4028 DM outpatient visits were recorded during this period. There were statistically significant associations of low temperature (5th, 1.5 °C), low RH (1st, 48.6%), high RH (99th, 99%), high DTR (75th, 12.6°c), and low TCN (10th, -2.7 °C) that were associated with risk of DM outpatient visits, with lag days of 30, 16, 16, 10, and 14, respectively. Moreover, women were more susceptible to high RH exposure and low TCN exposure, while the elderly were more susceptible to low temperature. This study concluded that exposure to low temperature, extreme RH, and temperature changes (especially high DTR and low TCN) was associated with an increased risk of DM outpatient visits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation, and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
| | - Yi-Sheng He
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation, and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
| | - Sha-Sha Tao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation, and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
| | - Yang Fang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation, and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
| | - Ruo-Di Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation, and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
| | - Xi Fang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation, and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
| | - Ling-Qiong Jiang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation, and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation, and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
| | - Harry Asena Musonye
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, China
| | - Jin-Hui Tao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
| | - Hai-Feng Pan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, China.
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation, and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China.
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Wu ZD, Chen C, He YS, Chen Y, Feng YT, Huang JX, Yin KJ, Wang J, Tao JH, Pan HF. Association between air pollution exposure and outpatient visits for dermatomyositis in a humid subtropical region of China: a time-series study. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:6095-6107. [PMID: 37249814 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-023-01616-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, a growing number of studies have found that air pollution plays critical roles in the onset and development of autoimmune diseases, but few studies have shown an association between air pollutants and dermatomyositis (DM). We sought to investigate the relationship between short-term exposure to air pollution and outpatient visits for DM and to quantify the burden of DM due to exposure to air pollutants in Hefei, China. Daily records of hospital outpatient visits for DM, air pollutants and meteorological factors data in Hefei from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021 were obtained. We used a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) in conjunction with a generalized linear model (GLM) to explore the association between air pollution and outpatient visits for DM, and conducted stratified analyses by gender, age and season. Moreover, we used attributable fraction (AF) and attributable number (AN) to reflect the burden of disease. A total of 4028 DM clinic visits were recorded during this period. High concentration nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure was associated with increased risk of DM outpatient visits (relative risk (RR) 1.063, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.015-1.114, lag 0-5). Intriguingly, exposure to high concentration ozone (O3) was associated with reduced risk of outpatient visits for DM (RR 0.974, 95% CI 0. 0.954-0.993, lag 0-6). The results of stratified analyses showed that the cold season (vs. warm season) were more susceptible to outpatient visits for DM associated with NO2 and O3 exposure. In addition, we observed that an increased risk of DM outpatient visits was attributable to high concentration NO2 exposure, while high concentration O3 exposure was associated with a decreased risk of DM outpatient visits. This study provided a scientific basis for the etiology research and health protection of DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng-Dong Wu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
| | - Cong Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
| | - Yi-Sheng He
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
| | - Yue Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
| | - Ya-Ting Feng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
| | - Ji-Xiang Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
| | - Kang-Jia Yin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
| | - Jin-Hui Tao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China.
| | - Hai-Feng Pan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
- Institute of Kidney Disease, Inflammation and Immunity Mediated Diseases, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China.
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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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Johnson DP. Population-Based Disparities in U.S. Urban Heat Exposure from 2003 to 2018. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12314. [PMID: 36231614 PMCID: PMC9566334 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown, in the United States (U.S.), that communities of color are exposed to significantly higher temperatures in urban environments than complementary White populations. Studies highlighting this disparity have generally been cross-sectional and are therefore "snapshots" in time. Using surface urban heat island (SUHI) intensity data, U.S. Census 2020 population counts, and a measure of residential segregation, this study performs a comparative analysis between census tracts identified as prevalent for White, Black, Hispanic and Asian populations and their thermal exposure from 2003 to 2018. The analysis concentrates on the top 200 most populous U.S. cities. SUHI intensity is shown to be increasing on average through time for the examined tracts. However, based on raw observations the increase is only statistically significant for White and Black prevalent census tracts. There is a 1.25 K to ~2.00 K higher degree of thermal exposure on average for communities of color relative to White prevalent areas. When examined on an inter-city basis, White and Black prevalent tracts had the largest disparity, as measured by SUHI intensity, in New Orleans, LA, by <6.00 K. Hispanic (>7.00 K) and Asian (<6.75 K) prevalent tracts were greatest in intensity in San Jose, CA. To further explore temporal patterns, two models were developed using a Bayesian hierarchical spatial temporal framework. One models the effect of varying the percentages of each population group relative to SUHI intensity within all examined tracts. Increases in percentages of Black, Hispanic, and Asian populations contributed to statistically significant increases in SUHI intensity. White increases in population percentage witnessed a lowering of SUHI intensity. Throughout all modeled tracts, there is a statistically significant 0.01 K per year average increase in SUHI intensity. A second model tests the effect of residential segregation on thermal inequity across all examined cities. Residential segregation, indeed, has a statistically significant positive association with SUHI intensity based on this portion of the analysis. Similarly, there is a statistically significant 0.01 K increase in average SUHI intensity per year for all cities. Results from this study can be used to guide and prioritize intervention strategies and further urgency related to social, climatic, and environmental justice concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Johnson
- Department of Geography, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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