1
|
Li Z, Fan Y, Xu Z, Ho HC, Tong S, Huang C, Bai Z, Gai Y, Cheng W, Hu J, Feng Y, Zheng H, Wang N, Ni J, Pan G, Hossain MZ, Su H, Cheng J. Exceptional heatwaves and mortality in Europe: greater impacts since the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024:125058. [PMID: 39369868 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2024] [Revised: 09/27/2024] [Accepted: 09/30/2024] [Indexed: 10/08/2024]
Abstract
Record-breaking hot weather (exceptional heatwaves) has been increasingly common worldwide, posing a significant threat to human health. However, little is known about the effect of these exceptional heatwaves on mortality in Europe, especially since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, which converges with climate change to affect healthcare systems and human lives. We collected mortality data of 967 regions in 30 European countries over the last decade (2014-2023) from the Eurostat. A standard time-series analysis was used to estimate the effect of exceptional heatwaves by quasi-Poisson regression model, including the main effect (effect from heatwave intensity) and the added effect (effect from heatwave duration), on mortality for each region during two periods (before and since the COVID-19 outbreak). We used random effects meta-analysis to pool the mortality risk (i.e., relative risk [RR]) and burden (i.e., attributable fraction [AF]) associated with exceptional heatwaves, at the country level and for Europe as a whole. In Europe, the mortality burden attributable to main and added effects increased from 0.492% (95% CI: 0.488% to 0.496%) to 1.276% (95% CI: 1.266% to 1.285%) and from 0.307% (95% CI: 0.294% to 0.318%) to 0.428% (95% CI: 0.407% to 0.448%), respectively. Furthermore, substantial variations across countries were observed, with some countries such as France and Spain experiencing a large increase in the mortality burden attributable to exceptional heatwaves since the COVID-19 outbreak. Our findings underscore the urgent need for heat-health actions to consider the multi-effects of exceptional heatwaves amidst a warming climate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Yinguang Fan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Zhiwei Xu
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, 9726, Australia
| | - Hung Chak Ho
- Department of Public and International Affairs, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Shilu Tong
- National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 100000, China; School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 4702, Australia
| | - Cunrui Huang
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100000, China
| | - Zhongliang Bai
- School of Health Services Management, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Yiming Gai
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Wenjun Cheng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Jihong Hu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Yufan Feng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- Department of Environmental Health, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Ning Wang
- The National Center for Chronic and Noncommunicable Disease Control and Prevention, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 100000, China
| | - Jing Ni
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Guixia Pan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Mohammad Zahid Hossain
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, 1360, Bangladesh
| | - Hong Su
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Jian Cheng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230000, China; First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China; Anhui Public Health Clinical Center, Hefei, 230000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sapari H, Selamat MI, Isa MR, Ismail R, Wan Mahiyuddin WR. The Impact of Heat Waves on Health Care Services in Low- or Middle-Income Countries: Protocol for a Systematic Review. JMIR Res Protoc 2023; 12:e44702. [PMID: 37843898 PMCID: PMC10616749 DOI: 10.2196/44702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heat waves significantly impact ecosystems and human health, especially that of vulnerable populations, and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Besides being directly related to climate-sensitive health outcomes, heat waves have indirectly increased the burden on our health care systems. Although the existing literature examines the impact of heat waves and morbidity, past research has mostly been conducted in high-income countries (HICs), and studies on the impact of heat waves on morbidity in low- or middle-income countries (LMICs) are still scarce. OBJECTIVE This paper presents the protocol for a systematic review that aims to provide evidence of the impact of heat waves on health care services in LMICs. METHODS We will identify peer-reviewed studies from 3 online databases, including the Web of Science, PubMed, and SCOPUS, published from January 2002 to April 2023, using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Quality assessment will be conducted using the Navigation Guide checklist. Key search terms include heatwaves, extreme heat, hospitalization, outpatient visit, burden, health services, and morbidity. RESULTS This systematic review will provide insight into the impact of heat waves on health care services in LMICs, especially on emergency department visits, ambulance call-outs, hospital admissions, outpatient department visits, in-hospital mortality, and health care operational costs. CONCLUSIONS The results of this review are anticipated to help policymakers and key stakeholders obtain a better understanding of the impact of heat waves on health care services and prioritize investments to mitigate the effects of heat waves in LMICs. This entails creating a comprehensive heat wave plan and ensuring that adequate infrastructure, capacity, and human resources are allocated in the health care sector. These measures will undoubtedly contribute to the development of resilience in health care systems and hence protect the health and well-being of individuals and communities. TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42022365471; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=365471. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/44702.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hadita Sapari
- Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mohamad Ikhsan Selamat
- Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mohamad Rodi Isa
- Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Rohaida Ismail
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Wan Rozita Wan Mahiyuddin
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, Selangor, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Quitmann C, Griesel S, Nayna Schwerdtle P, Danquah I, Herrmann A. Climate-sensitive health counselling: a scoping review and conceptual framework. Lancet Planet Health 2023; 7:e600-e610. [PMID: 37438001 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(23)00107-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Health professional societies and researchers call for the integration of climate change into health counselling. However, the scientific evidence and conceptual grounding of such climate-sensitive health counselling (CSHC) remains unclear. We conducted a scoping review identifying scientific articles on the integration of climate change into communication between health professionals and patients in health-care settings. Scientific databases (Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar) were searched from inception until Nov 30, 2022. 97 articles were included, of which 33 represented empirical research, and only two evaluated the effects of CSHC. More than half of the articles originated from the USA and addressed physicians. We introduce a conceptual framework for CSHC, which elaborates on aims, content areas, and communication strategies, and establishes the guiding principle of integrating CSHC into routine activities of health care. This framework supports health professionals in implementing CSHC and enables researchers to conceptualise intervention studies investigating how CSHC can contribute to the health of patients and the planet.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Quitmann
- Institute of Global Health, University Hospital Heidelberg, Medical Faculty University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Silvan Griesel
- Institute of Global Health, University Hospital Heidelberg, Medical Faculty University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patricia Nayna Schwerdtle
- Institute of Global Health, University Hospital Heidelberg, Medical Faculty University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing (IWR)-Climate Change and Health AI Lab, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ina Danquah
- Institute of Global Health, University Hospital Heidelberg, Medical Faculty University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alina Herrmann
- Institute of Global Health, University Hospital Heidelberg, Medical Faculty University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of General Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Climate change remains a major threat to the health and well-being of children globally. This article reviews the myriad health effects of climate change on children throughout their lives and discusses ways in which the general pediatrician can be an advocate for climate solutions. RECENT FINDINGS Rising atmospheric temperatures, increased air pollution, and destabilized weather patterns all lead to adverse health outcomes for children and adverse obstetric outcomes. However, the impact of climate change is not evenly distributed. Children living in poverty are more likely to be adversely impacted by the changing climate. SUMMARY Ongoing and emerging research suggests that children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The primary care pediatrician is encouraged to see this irrefutable evidence as a call to action for advocacy on behalf of our patients and the planet.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Brodie
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC
| | - Elizabeth A Silberholz
- Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Different Domains of Dengue Research in Malaysia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Questionnaire-Based Studies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18094474. [PMID: 33922427 PMCID: PMC8122824 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
This review provided a systematic overview of the questionnaire-related dengue studies conducted in Malaysia and evaluated their reliability and validity used in the questionnaires. An extensive literature search was conducted using various electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, and ScienceDirect. Systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) were selected as the preferred item reporting method. Out of 88 identified dengue-related, 57 published from 2000 to April 2020 met the inclusion criteria and were included. Based on the meta-analysis, a poor mean score was obtained for knowledge (49%), attitude (44%), and preventive practice (55%). The study showed that the level of knowledge on cardinal signs and modes of transmission for dengue virus were highest among health care workers, followed by students (international and local) and lastly community residents. In treatment-seeking behaviours, only half of the respondents (50.8%) would send their child to the nearest health clinics or hospitals when a child became restless or lethargic. The acceptance rate for dengue vaccine, bacteria (Wolbachia), as a vector for dengue control and self-test diagnostic kit for dengue showed considerably high (88.4%, 70%, and 44.8%, respectively). Health belief model (HBM) constructs, such as perceived barriers, perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, and perceived benefit influence prevention practices. Lastly, only 23 articles (40.3%) had piloted or pretested the questionnaire before surveying, in which three reported Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.70-0.90). A need for active participation of communities and healthcare personnel, promotion of awareness, and safe complementary medicines, as well as assessment of psychometric properties of questionnaire use in dengue surveys in Malaysia, in order for assessing dengue reliably and valid.
Collapse
|
6
|
Zuo S, Yang L, Dou P, Ho HC, Dai S, Ma W, Ren Y, Huang C. The direct and interactive impacts of hydrological factors on bacillary dysentery across different geographical regions in central China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 764:144609. [PMID: 33385650 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies found non-linear mutual interactions among hydrometeorological factors on diarrheal disease. However, the complex interactions of the hydrometeorological, topographical and human activity factors need to be further explored. This study aimed to reveal how hydrological and other factors jointly influence bacillary dysentery in different geographical regions. Using Anhui Province in China, consisted of Huaibei plain, Jianghuai hilly and Wannan mountainous regions, we integrated multi-source data (6 meteorological, 3 hydrological, 2 topographic, and 9 socioeconomic variables) to explore the direct and interactive relationship between hydrological factors (quick flow, baseflow and local recharge) and other factors by combining the ecosystem model InVEST with spatial statistical analysis. The results showed hydrological factors had significant impact powers (q = 0.444 (Huaibei plain) for local recharge, 0.412 (Jianghuai hilly region) and 0.891 (Wannan mountainous region) for quick flow, respectively) on bacillary dysentery in different regions, but lost powers at provincial level. Land use and soil properties have created significant interactions with hydrological factors across Anhui province. Particularly, percentage of farmland in Anhui province can influence quick flow across Jianghuai, Wannan regions and the whole province, and it also has significant interactions with the baseflow and local recharge across the plain as well as the whole province. Percentage of urban areas had interactions with baseflow and local recharge in Jianghuai and Wannan regions. Additionally, baseflow and local recharge could be interacted with meteorological factors (e.g. temperature and wind speed), while these interactions varied in different regions. In conclusion, it was evident that hydrological factors had significant impacts on bacillary dysentery, and also interacted significantly with meteorological and socioeconomic factors. This study applying ecosystem model and spatial analysis help reveal the complex and nonlinear transmission of bacillary dysentery in different geographical regions, supporting the development of precise public health interventions with consideration of hydrological factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shudi Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
| | - Lianping Yang
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Panfeng Dou
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
| | - Hung Chak Ho
- Department of Urban Planning and Design, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; School of Geography and Remote Sensing, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaoqing Dai
- Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Wenjun Ma
- Guangdong Provincial Institute of Public Health, Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yin Ren
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
| | - Cunrui Huang
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Shanghai Typhoon Institute, China Meteorological Administration, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Meteorology and Health, Shanghai Meteorological Service, Shanghai, China; School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Towards Understanding Interactions between Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of Climate-Well-Being Linkages. Experiences of EU Countries. ENERGIES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/en14072025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The 2030 Agenda with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a challenge for all countries in the world. Their implementation may turn out to be a compromise or the creation of effective interactions that dynamize sustainable development. To achieve the SDGs, it is essential to understand how they interact with each other. It seems that in the times of the climate and health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, caring for the environment and ensuring a healthy life and promoting well-being at all ages is the basis for environmental, economic and social sustainable development. The aim of the study is to compare the degree of implementation of the goals of sustainable development in the scope of goal 13 “Climate action” and goal 3 “Good health and well-being” in the EU countries. In addition, we analyze how trade-offs and synergies between these goals have developed. Data from the Eurostat database were used to achieve the goal. The study used the method of multivariate comparative analysis—linear ordering of objects. The technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) method was used to measure the studied phenomenon. The results indicate a different degree of implementation of the sustainable development goals related to climate change and the improvement of health and social well-being. Only a few countries have synergy in achieving these goals, most of them compromise, manifesting themselves in improving one goal over another. In the group of analyzed EU countries, a simultaneous deterioration in the effectiveness of achieving both objectives were also noted. Our research also shows that energy policy is an important attribute in improving the achievement of these goals. The conducted analysis fills the gap in the research on the implementation of selected sustainable development goals and their interactions. It contributes to the discussion on increasing the links between them, in particular with regard to emerging compromises. This research can provide a basis for re-prioritizing and intensifying the actions where individual EU countries are lagging most behind.
Collapse
|
8
|
Rahman MM, Bodrud-Doza M, Shammi M, Md Towfiqul Islam AR, Moniruzzaman Khan AS. COVID-19 pandemic, dengue epidemic, and climate change vulnerability in Bangladesh: Scenario assessment for strategic management and policy implications. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 192:110303. [PMID: 33069704 PMCID: PMC7561529 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change impacts also struck by the COVID-19 pandemic. The lockdown measures were ineffective with no sign of flattening the curve. Therefore, the high risk of transmission is evident with an increasing number of affected people. Under this circumstance, a multiple hazards scenario can be developed in this country due to climatic hazards such as cyclones, floods, landslides, heat waves, and the outbreak of infectious diseases such as dengue, cholera, and diarrhoea. The country experiences simultaneously the global pandemic, exceptionally prolonged flood along with the recovery stage from the damages due to the cyclone (Amphan). Therefore, these multiple factors have been putting pressure on losing millions of homes, livelihoods, and agricultural crops. This study aimed to assess the potential impact of a simultaneous strike of climatic hazards and infectious disease outbreaks and their possible strategic management in Bangladesh under different scenarios. A mixed methodological approach was followed in this study including a questionnaire survey, in-depth discussion with experts, and extensive literature review to assess the multi-hazard scenario in a resource-limited setting with high population density. A set of statistical techniques were used to analyze the responses (n = 1590) from different social groups (healthcare professionals, academicians, students, Government and NGO officials, and businessman) under three scenarios. The results revealed the high possibility of aggravating the impact of COVID-19 pandemic if there is a climatic hazard such as flood, cyclone have appeared. The majority of the respondents agreed that the situation will become more devastating if there is another outbreak of diseases such as dengue, cholera, and diarrhoea. The poor and fragile healthcare system of this country cannot bear such unprecedented pressure. The lack of risk assessment and communication, lack of sectoral coordination might restrict the contingency plan of the government. Therefore, considering the unprecedented worst cases a stringent strategic plan for emergency response, short term and long-term management should have to be formulated. Resilience building through proactive planning and implementation of integrated, inclusive and sustainable strategies will be effective to ensure the health and socio-economic security for multi-hazard threats in the country.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Mostafizur Rahman
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh.
| | | | - Mashura Shammi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh
| | | | | |
Collapse
|