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Kunda JJ, Gosling SN, Foody GM. The effects of extreme heat on human health in tropical Africa. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2024; 68:1015-1033. [PMID: 38526600 PMCID: PMC11108931 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-024-02650-4] [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: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
This review examines high-quality research evidence that synthesises the effects of extreme heat on human health in tropical Africa. Web of Science (WoS) was used to identify research articles on the effects extreme heat, humidity, Wet-bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), apparent temperature, wind, Heat Index, Humidex, Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), heatwave, high temperature and hot climate on human health, human comfort, heat stress, heat rashes, and heat-related morbidity and mortality. A total of 5, 735 articles were initially identified, which were reduced to 100 based on a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The review discovered that temperatures up to 60°C have been recorded in the region and that extreme heat has many adverse effects on human health, such as worsening mental health in low-income adults, increasing the likelihood of miscarriage, and adverse effects on well-being and safety, psychological behaviour, efficiency, and social comfort of outdoor workers who spend long hours performing manual labour. Extreme heat raises the risk of death from heat-related disease, necessitating preventative measures such as adaptation methods to mitigate the adverse effects on vulnerable populations during hot weather. This study highlights the social inequalities in heat exposure and adverse health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Jonah Kunda
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
| | - Simon N Gosling
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Giles M Foody
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
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Bunker A, Compoaré G, Sewe MO, Laurent JGC, Zabré P, Boudo V, Ouédraogo WA, Ouermi L, Jackson ST, Arisco N, Vijayakumar G, Yildirim FB, Barteit S, Maggioni MA, Woodward A, Buonocore JJ, Regassa MD, Brück T, Sié A, Bärnighausen T. The effects of cool roofs on health, environmental, and economic outcomes in rural Africa: study protocol for a community-based cluster randomized controlled trial. Trials 2024; 25:59. [PMID: 38229177 PMCID: PMC10792891 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-023-07804-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High ambient air temperatures in Africa pose significant health and behavioral challenges in populations with limited access to cooling adaptations. The built environment can exacerbate heat exposure, making passive home cooling adaptations a potential method for protecting occupants against indoor heat exposure. METHODS We are conducting a 2-year community-based stratified cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) implementing sunlight-reflecting roof coatings, known as "cool roofs," as a climate change adaptation intervention for passive indoor home cooling. Our primary research objective is to investigate the effects of cool roofs on health, indoor climate, economic, and behavioral outcomes in rural Burkina Faso. This cRCT is nested in the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), a population-based dynamic cohort study of all people living in a geographically contiguous area covering 59 villages, 14305 households and 28610 individuals. We recruited 1200 participants, one woman and one man, each in 600 households in 25 villages in the Nouna HDSS. We stratified our sample by (i) village and (ii) two prevalent roof types in this area of Burkina Faso: mud brick and tin. We randomized the same number of people (12) and homes (6) in each stratum 1:1 to receiving vs. not receiving the cool roof. We are collecting outcome data on one primary endpoint - heart rate, (a measure of heat stress) and 22 secondary outcomes encompassing indoor climate parameters, blood pressure, body temperature, heat-related outcomes, blood glucose, sleep, cognition, mental health, health facility utilization, economic and productivity outcomes, mosquito count, life satisfaction, gender-based violence, and food consumption. We followed all participants for 2 years, conducting monthly home visits to collect objective and subjective outcomes. Approximately 12% of participants (n = 152) used smartwatches to continuously measure endpoints including heart rate, sleep and activity. DISCUSSION Our study demonstrates the potential of large-scale cRCTs to evaluate novel climate change adaptation interventions and provide evidence supporting investments in heat resilience in sub-Saharan Africa. By conducting this research, we will contribute to better policies and interventions to help climate-vulnerable populations ward off the detrimental effects of extreme indoor heat on health. TRIAL REGISTRATION German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00023207. Registered on April 19, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Bunker
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | | | - Maquins Odhiambo Sewe
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Sustainable Health Section, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jose Guillermo Cedeno Laurent
- Environmental Health and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Rutgers, USA
| | - Pascal Zabré
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN), Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Valentin Boudo
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN), Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Lucienne Ouermi
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN), Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Susan T Jackson
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicholas Arisco
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Govind Vijayakumar
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ferhat Baran Yildirim
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sandra Barteit
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martina Anna Maggioni
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Alistair Woodward
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jonathan J Buonocore
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | | | - Tilman Brück
- Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Großbeeren, Germany
- Thaer-Institute, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- International Security and Development Center (ISDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Ali Sié
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN), Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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Koch M, Matzke I, Huhn S, Sié A, Boudo V, Compaoré G, Maggioni MA, Bunker A, Bärnighausen T, Dambach P, Barteit S. Assessing the Effect of Extreme Weather on Population Health Using Consumer-Grade Wearables in Rural Burkina Faso: Observational Panel Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2023; 11:e46980. [PMID: 37938879 PMCID: PMC10666008 DOI: 10.2196/46980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extreme weather, including heat and extreme rainfall, is projected to increase owing to climate change, which can have adverse impacts on human health. In particular, rural populations in sub-Saharan Africa are at risk because of a high burden of climate-sensitive diseases and low adaptive capacities. However, there is a lack of data on the regions that are anticipated to be most exposed to climate change. Improved public health surveillance is essential for better decision-making and health prioritization and to identify risk groups and suitable adaptation measures. Digital technologies such as consumer-grade wearable devices (wearables) may generate objective measurements to guide data-driven decision-making. OBJECTIVE The main objective of this observational study was to examine the impact of weather exposure on population health in rural Burkina Faso using wearables. Specifically, this study aimed to assess the relationship between individual daily activity (steps), sleep duration, and heart rate (HR), as estimated by wearables, and exposure to heat and heavy rainfall. METHODS Overall, 143 participants from the Nouna health and demographic surveillance system in Burkina Faso wore the Withings Pulse HR wearable 24/7 for 11 months. We collected continuous weather data using 5 weather stations throughout the study region. The heat index and wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) were calculated as measures of heat. We used linear mixed-effects models to quantify the relationship between exposure to heat and rainfall and the wearable parameters. Participants kept activity journals and completed a questionnaire on their perception of and adaptation to heat and other weather exposure. RESULTS Sleep duration decreased significantly (P<.001) with higher heat exposure, with approximately 15 minutes shorter sleep duration during heat stress nights with a heat index value of ≥25 °C. Many participants (55/137, 40.1%) reported that heat affected them the most at night. During the day, most participants (133/137, 97.1%) engaged in outdoor physical work such as farming, housework, or fetching water. During the rainy season, when WBGT was highest, daily activity was highest and increased when the daily maximum WBGT surpassed 30 °C during the rainiest month. In the hottest month, daily activity decreased per degree increase in WBGT for values >30 °C. Nighttime HR showed no significant correlation with heat exposure. Daytime HR data were insufficient for analysis. We found no negative health impact associated with heavy rainfall. With increasing rainfall, sleep duration increased, average nightly HR decreased, and activity decreased. CONCLUSIONS During the study period, participants were frequently exposed to heat and heavy rainfall. Heat was particularly associated with impaired sleep and daily activity. Essential tasks such as harvesting, fetching water, and caring for livestock expose this population to weather that likely has an adverse impact on their health. Further research is essential to guide interventions safeguarding vulnerable communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Koch
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ina Matzke
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sophie Huhn
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ali Sié
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Centre de Recherche en Santé, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | | | | | - Martina Anna Maggioni
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Aditi Bunker
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
- Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Peter Dambach
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sandra Barteit
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Arisco NJ, Sewe MO, Bärnighausen T, Sié A, Zabre P, Bunker A. The effect of extreme temperature and precipitation on cause-specific deaths in rural Burkina Faso: a longitudinal study. Lancet Planet Health 2023; 7:e478-e489. [PMID: 37286245 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(23)00027-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extreme weather is becoming more common due to climate change and threatens human health through climate-sensitive diseases, with very uneven effects around the globe. Low-income, rural populations in the Sahel region of west Africa are projected to be severely affected by climate change. Climate-sensitive disease burdens have been linked to weather conditions in areas of the Sahel, although comprehensive, disease-specific empirical evidence on these relationships is scarce. In this study, we aim to provide an analysis of the associations between weather conditions and cause-specific deaths over a 16-year period in Nouna, Burkina Faso. METHODS In this longitudinal study, we used de-identified, daily cause-of-death data from the Health and Demographic Surveillance System led by the Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN) in the National Institute of Public Health of Burkina Faso, to assess temporal associations between daily and weekly weather conditions (maximum temperature and total precipitation) and deaths attributed to specific climate-sensitive diseases. We implemented distributed-lag zero-inflated Poisson models for 13 disease-age groups at daily and weekly time lags. We included all deaths from climate-sensitive diseases in the CRSN demographic surveillance area from Jan 1, 2000 to Dec 31, 2015 in the analysis. We report the exposure-response relationships at percentiles representative of the exposure distributions of temperature and precipitation in the study area. FINDINGS Of 8256 total deaths in the CRSN demographic surveillance area over the observation period, 6185 (74·9%) were caused by climate-sensitive diseases. Deaths from communicable diseases were most common. Heightened risk of death from all climate-sensitive communicable diseases, and malaria (both across all ages and in children younger than 5 years), was associated with 14-day lagged daily maximum temperatures at or above 41·1°C, the 90th percentile of daily maximum temperatures, compared with 36·4°C, the median (all communicable diseases: 41·9°C relative risk [RR] 1·38 [95% CI 1·08-1·77], 42·8°C 1·57 [1·13-2·18]; malaria all ages: 41·1°C 1·47 [1·05-2·05], 41·9°C 1·78 [1·21-2·61], 42·8°C 2·35 [1·37-4·03]; malaria younger than 5 years: 41·9°C 1·67 [1·02-2·73]). Heightened risk of death from communicable diseases was also associated with 14-day lagged total daily precipitation at or below 0·1 cm, the 49th percentile of total daily precipitation, compared with 1·4 cm, the median (all communicable diseases: 0·0 cm 1·04 [1·02-1·07], 0·1 cm 1·01 [1·006-1·02]; malaria all ages: 0·0 cm 1·04 [1·01-1·08], 0·1 cm 1·02 [1·00-1·03]; malaria younger than 5 years: 0·0 cm 1·05 [1·01-1·10], 0·1 cm 1·02 [1·00-1·04]). The only significant association with a non-communicable disease outcome was a heightened risk of death from climate-sensitive cardiovascular diseases in individuals aged 65 years and older associated with 7-day lagged daily maximum temperatures at or above 41·9°C (41·9°C 2·25 [1·06-4·81], 42·8°C 3·68 [1·46-9·25]). Over 8 cumulative weeks, we found that the risk of death from communicable diseases was heightened at all ages from temperatures at or above 41·1°C (41·1°C 1·23 [1·05-1·43], 41·9°C 1·30 [1·08-1·56], 42·8°C 1·35 [1·09-1·66]) and risk of death from malaria was heightened by precipitation at or above 45·3 cm (all ages: 45·3 cm 1·68 [1·31-2·14], 61·6 cm 1·72 [1·27-2·31], 87·7 cm 1·72 [1·16-2·55]; children younger than 5 years: 45·3 cm 1·81 [1·36-2·41], 61·6 cm 1·82 [1·29-2·56], 87·7 cm 1·93 [1·24-3·00]). INTERPRETATION Our results indicate a high burden of death related to extreme weather in the Sahel region of west Africa. This burden is likely to increase with climate change. Climate preparedness programmes-such as extreme weather alerts, passive cooling architecture, and rainwater drainage-should be tested and implemented to prevent deaths from climate-sensitive diseases in vulnerable communities in Burkina Faso and the wider Sahel region. FUNDING Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Arisco
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maquins O Sewe
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Sustainable Health Section, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA; Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Somkhele, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; Medical Research Council/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ali Sié
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Institut National de Santé Publique, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Pascal Zabre
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Institut National de Santé Publique, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Aditi Bunker
- Center for Climate, Health and the Global Environment, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Barteit S, Sié A, Zabré P, Traoré I, Ouédraogo WA, Boudo V, Munga S, Khagayi S, Obor D, Muok E, Franke J, Schwarz M, Blass K, Su TT, Bärnighausen T, Sankoh O, Sauerborn R. Widening the lens of population-based health research to climate change impacts and adaptation: the climate change and health evaluation and response system (CHEERS). Front Public Health 2023; 11:1153559. [PMID: 37304117 PMCID: PMC10248881 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1153559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Climate change significantly impacts health in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), exacerbating vulnerabilities. Comprehensive data for evidence-based research and decision-making is crucial but scarce. Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites (HDSSs) in Africa and Asia provide a robust infrastructure with longitudinal population cohort data, yet they lack climate-health specific data. Acquiring this information is essential for understanding the burden of climate-sensitive diseases on populations and guiding targeted policies and interventions in LMICs to enhance mitigation and adaptation capacities. Objective The objective of this research is to develop and implement the Change and Health Evaluation and Response System (CHEERS) as a methodological framework, designed to facilitate the generation and ongoing monitoring of climate change and health-related data within existing Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites (HDSSs) and comparable research infrastructures. Methods CHEERS uses a multi-tiered approach to assess health and environmental exposures at the individual, household, and community levels, utilizing digital tools such as wearable devices, indoor temperature and humidity measurements, remotely sensed satellite data, and 3D-printed weather stations. The CHEERS framework utilizes a graph database to efficiently manage and analyze diverse data types, leveraging graph algorithms to understand the complex interplay between health and environmental exposures. Results The Nouna CHEERS site, established in 2022, has yielded significant preliminary findings. By using remotely-sensed data, the site has been able to predict crop yield at a household level in Nouna and explore the relationships between yield, socioeconomic factors, and health outcomes. The feasibility and acceptability of wearable technology have been confirmed in rural Burkina Faso for obtaining individual-level data, despite the presence of technical challenges. The use of wearables to study the impact of extreme weather on health has shown significant effects of heat exposure on sleep and daily activity, highlighting the urgent need for interventions to mitigate adverse health consequences. Conclusion Implementing the CHEERS in research infrastructures can advance climate change and health research, as large and longitudinal datasets have been scarce for LMICs. This data can inform health priorities, guide resource allocation to address climate change and health exposures, and protect vulnerable communities in LMICs from these exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Barteit
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ali Sié
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Pascal Zabré
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - I Traoré
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Valentin Boudo
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | | | | | - David Obor
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Erick Muok
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | | | | | - Klaus Blass
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tin Tin Su
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) and Global Public Health, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Osman Sankoh
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Statistics Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Rainer Sauerborn
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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How V, Singh S, Dang T, Fang Lee L, Guo HR. The effects of heat exposure on tropical farm workers in Malaysia: six-month physiological health monitoring. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2023; 33:413-429. [PMID: 35157533 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2022.2033706] [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: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Farmers in tropical countries have been impacted by slow-onset heat stress. By comparing the nature of farming activities performed by conventional farmworkers and agroecological farmers, this study examined the changes in physiological health in responses to heat exposure through a six-month longitudinal study. Throughout the six-month follow-up period, the heat stress index (HSI), physiological strain indices (PSI), and physiological health parameters (BMI, blood glucose level, blood cholesterol level, uric acid level) were measured and repeated every two-month. Physiological parameters were recorded twice daily, before and during their first lunch break. This study found that slow-onset heat stress affects farmers differently. The health of agroecological farmers is more resistant to slow-onset extreme temperatures. Pre-existing metabolic health effects from pesticide exposure make conventional farmers more susceptible to extreme temperatures, delaying their bodies' adaptation to rising temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivien How
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Shyamli Singh
- Centre for Environment and Climate Change, Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi, India
| | - Thinh Dang
- Climate Change Research Centre, Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change, Hà Nội, Vietnam
| | - Lim Fang Lee
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar, Perak, Malaysia
| | - How-Ran Guo
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
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Chersich MF, Scorgie F, Filippi V, Luchters S. Increasing global temperatures threaten gains in maternal and newborn health in Africa: A review of impacts and an adaptation framework. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2023; 160:421-429. [PMID: 35906840 PMCID: PMC10087975 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.14381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Anatomical, physiologic, and socio-cultural changes during pregnancy and childbirth increase vulnerability of women and newborns to high ambient temperatures. Extreme heat can overwhelm thermoregulatory mechanisms in pregnant women, especially during labor, cause dehydration and endocrine dysfunction, and compromise placental function. Clinical sequelae include hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, and stillbirth. High ambient temperatures increase rates of infections, and affect health worker performance and healthcare seeking. Rising temperatures with climate change and limited resources heighten concerns. We propose an adaptation framework containing four prongs. First, behavioral changes such as reducing workloads during pregnancy and using low-cost water sprays. Second, health system interventions encompassing Early Warning Systems centered around existing community-based outreach; heat-health indicator tracking; water supplementation and monitoring for heat-related conditions during labor. Building modifications, passive and active cooling systems, and nature-based solutions can reduce temperatures in facilities. Lastly, structural interventions and climate financing are critical. The overall package of interventions, ideally selected following cost-effectiveness and thermal modeling trade-offs, needs to be co-designed and co-delivered with affected communities, and take advantage of existing maternal and child health platforms. Robust-applied research will set the stage for programs across Africa that target pregnant women. Adequate research and climate financing are now urgent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew F Chersich
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Fiona Scorgie
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Veronique Filippi
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Stanley Luchters
- Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research (CeSHHAR), Harare, Zimbabwe
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Nilsson M, Sie A, Muindi K, Bunker A, Ingole V, Ebi KL. Weather, climate, and climate change research to protect human health in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Glob Health Action 2021; 14:1984014. [PMID: 35377292 PMCID: PMC8986241 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2021.1984014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Weather, climate, and climate change are affecting human health, with scientific evidence increasing substantially over the past two decades, but with very limited research from low- and middle-income countries. The health effects of climate change occur mainly because of the consequences of rising temperatures, rising sea levels, and an increase in extreme weather events. These exposures interact with demographic, socio-economic, and environmental factors, as well as access to and the quality of health care, to affect the magnitude and pattern of risks. Health risks are unevenly distributed around the world, and within countries and across population groups. Existing health challenges and inequalities are likely to be exacerbated by climate change. This narrative review provides an overview of the health impacts of weather, climate, and climate change, particularly on vulnerable regions and populations in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, and discusses the importance of protecting human health in a changing climate; such measures are critical to reducing poverty and inequality at all scales. Three case summaries from the INDEPTH Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems highlight examples of research that quantified associations between weather and health outcomes. These and comparable surveillance systems can provide critical knowledge to increase resilience and decrease inequalities in an increasingly warming world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Nilsson
- Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ali Sie
- Nouna Health Research Centre, National Institute of Public Health, Burkina Faso
| | - Kanyiva Muindi
- African Population Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Aditi Bunker
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Kristie L Ebi
- Center for Health and the Global Environment, University of Washington Seattle, Seattle, WA, USA
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Gottlieb-Stroh T, Souares A, Bärnighausen T, Sié A, Zabre SP, Danquah I. Seasonal and socio-demographic patterns of self-reporting major disease groups in north-west Burkina Faso: an analysis of the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) data. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:1101. [PMID: 34107895 PMCID: PMC8191198 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11076-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is facing a rapid growth of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), while communicable diseases still prevail. For rural SSA, evidence for this development is scarce. We aimed at quantifying self-reported major disease groups according to season, and determining the associations with socio-economic factors in rural Burkina Faso. Methods This study used data of 4192 adults (age range: 18–101 years; male: 49.0%) from the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) in north-west Burkina Faso, rainy season of 2010 and dry season of 2011. We assessed the proportions and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of self-reported major disease groups as defined by the World Health Organization. For their associations with socio-economic factors, odds ratios (OR), 95% CIs and p-values were calculated by logistic regression. Results The surveys were completed by 3949 adults in 2010 (mean age: 37.5 ± 14.9 years, male: 48.8%) and by 4039 adults in 2011 (mean age: 37.3 ± 16.2 years, male: 49.1%). The proportions of self-reported communicable diseases were 20.7% (95% CI: 19.4–21.9%) in the rainy season and 11.0% (10.0–11.9%; McNemar’s p < 0.0001) in the dry season. Self-reported NCDs amounted to 5.3% (4.6–6.0%) and 4.5% (3.8–5.1%; p = 0.08), respectively. In each year, less than 1% reported injuries (p = 0.57). Few individuals reported an overlap of communicable diseases and NCDs: 1.4% in 2010 and 0.6% in 2011. In the multiple-adjusted models, formal education (vs. lack of education) showed the strongest association with self-reporting of communicable diseases in both seasons. For NCD-reporting, non-manual occupation (vs. manual) was positively associated, only in the rainy season. Conclusions Self-reporting of communicable diseases is subject to seasonal variation in this population in north-west Burkina Faso. The exact reasons for the low overall self-reporting of NCDs and injuries, apart from a low socio-demographic position, require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Gottlieb-Stroh
- Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Aurélia Souares
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ali Sié
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN), Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Ina Danquah
- Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. .,Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Arbuthnott K, Hajat S, Heaviside C, Vardoulakis S. Years of life lost and mortality due to heat and cold in the three largest English cities. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 144:105966. [PMID: 32771827 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
There is a well-established relationship between temperature and mortality, with older individuals being most at risk in high-income settings. This raises the question of the degree to which lives are being shortened by exposure to heat or cold. Years of life lost (YLL) take into account population life expectancy and age at which mortality occurs. However, YLL are rarely used as an outcome-metric in studies of temperature-related mortality. This represents an important gap in knowledge; to better comprehend potential impacts of temperature in the context of climate change and an ageing population, it is important to understand the relationship between temperature and YLL, and also whether the risks of temperature related mortality and YLL have changed over recent years. Gridded temperature data derived from observations, and mortality data were provided by the UK Met Office and the Office for National Statistics (ONS), respectively. We derived YLL for each death using sex-specific yearly life expectancy from ONS English-national lifetables. We undertook an ecological time-series regression analysis, using a distributed-lag double-threshold model, to estimate the relationship between daily mean temperature and daily YLL and mortality between 1996 and 2013 in Greater London, the West Midlands including Birmingham, and Greater Manchester. Temperature-thresholds, as determined by model best fit, were set at the 91st (for heat-effects) and 35th (for cold-effects) percentiles of the mean temperature distribution. Secondly, we analysed whether there had been any changes in heat and cold related risk of YLL and mortality over time. Heat-effects (lag 0-2 days) were greatest in London, where for each 1 °C above the heat-threshold the risk of mortality increased by 3.9% (CI 3.5%, 4.3%) and YLL increased by 3.0% (2.5%, 3.5%). Between 1996 and 2013, the proportion of total deaths and YLL attributable to heat in London were 0.50% and 0.40% respectively. Cold-effects (lag 0-27 days) were greatest in the West Midlands, where for each 1 °C below the cold-threshold, risk of mortality increased by 3.1% (2.4%, 3.7%) and YLL also increased by 3.1% (2.2%, 3.9%). The proportion of deaths and YLL attributable to cold in the West Midlands were 3.3% and 3.2% respectively. We found no evidence of decreasing susceptibility to heat and cold over time. The addition of life expectancy information into calculations of temperature-related risk and mortality burdens for English cities is novel. We demonstrate that although older individuals are at greatest risk of temperature-related mortality, heat and cold still make a significant contribution to the YLL due to premature death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Arbuthnott
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK; Chemicals and Environmental Effects Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Didcot OX11 0RQ, UK.
| | - Shakoor Hajat
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK
| | - Clare Heaviside
- Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, University College London, Central House, 14 Woburn Place, London WC1H ONN, UK
| | - Sotiris Vardoulakis
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601 Australia
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Cheng J, Xu Z, Bambrick H, Su H, Tong S, Hu W. Impacts of exposure to ambient temperature on burden of disease: a systematic review of epidemiological evidence. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2019; 63:1099-1115. [PMID: 31011886 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-019-01716-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Ambient temperature is an important determinant of mortality and morbidity, making it necessary to assess temperature-related burden of disease (BD) for the planning of public health policies and adaptive responses. To systematically review existing epidemiological evidence on temperature-related BD, we searched three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) on 1 September 2018. We identified 97 studies from 56 counties for this review, of which 75 reported the fraction or number of health outcomes (include deaths and diseases) attributable to temperature, and 22 reported disability-adjusted life years (include years of life lost and years lost due to disability) related to temperature. Non-optimum temperatures (i.e., heat and cold) were responsible for > 2.5% of mortality in all included high-income countries/regions, and > 3.0% of mortality in all included middle-income countries. Cold was mostly reported to be the primary source of mortality burden from non-optimum temperatures, but the relative role of three different temperature exposures (i.e., heat, cold, and temperature variability) in affecting morbidity and mortality remains unclear so far. Under the warming climate scenario, almost all projections assuming no population adaptation suggested future increase in heat-related but decrease in cold-related BD. However, some studies emphasized the great uncertainty in future pattern of temperature-related BD, largely depending on the scenarios of climate, population adaptation, and demography. We also identified important discrepancies and limitations in current research methodologies employed to measure temperature exposures and model temperature-health relationship, and calculate the past and project future temperature-related BD. Overall, exposure to non-optimum ambient temperatures has become and will continue to be a considerable contributor to the global and national BD, but future research is still needed to develop a stronger methodological framework for assessing and comparing temperature-related BD across different settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Cheng
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, 4059, Australia
| | - Zhiwei Xu
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, 4059, Australia
| | - Hilary Bambrick
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, 4059, Australia
| | - Hong Su
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Shilu Tong
- Shanghai Children's Medical Centre, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Public Health, Institute of Environment and Human Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Wenbiao Hu
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, 4059, Australia.
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Jiao A, Yu C, Xiang Q, Zhang F, Chen D, Zhang L, Hu K, Zhang L, Zhang Y. Impact of summer heat on mortality and years of life lost: Application of a novel indicator of daily excess hourly heat. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 172:596-603. [PMID: 30875513 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.01.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have widely assessed heat-mortality relationships across global regions, while the epidemiological evidence regarding the heat effect on years of life lost (YLL) is relatively sparse. Current investigations using daily mean data cannot take hourly temperature variation into consideration and may underestimate heat effects. We developed a novel indicator, daily excess hourly heat (DEHH), to precisely evaluate the potential heat effects on mortality and YLL. METHODS Hourly data on temperature and daily information, including concentrations of air pollutants, relative humidity, and records of all registered deaths were obtained in Wuhan, China during the warm seasons (May-September) of 2009-2012. DEHH, developed in this study, is defined as daily total hourly temperatures that exceed a specific heat threshold. By performing time series regression analyses, we assessed the changes in daily mortality and YLL per interquartile range (IQR) increase in DEHH across different lag days. RESULTS The heat threshold evaluated by the Akaike Information Criterion for DEHH calculation is 30 °C (92th percentile of whole-year mean temperature distribution). Daily average DEHH was 13.9 °C, with an IQR of 19.9 °C. Linear exposure-response curves were found between DEHH and two health outcomes. Generally, heat effects lasted for 2-3 days and DEHH at lag 0-1 was most strongly associated with increased mortality and YLL. The effects were especially remarkable for stroke and ischemic heart disease mortality. Most intense effect on YLL was found in non-accidental deaths (20.11, 95% confidence interval: 8.90-31.33) at lag 0-1. More DEHH-related mortality and YLL from cardiovascular deaths were observed among males. People aged 0-74 years and males suffered more from YLL burden due to high temperatures. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated that DEHH may be an alternative indicator to precisely measure heat effects on daily mortality and YLL. Further DEHH-based evidence from large scale investigations is needed so as to better understand heat-associated health burden and improve public response to extremely high temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Jiao
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Chuanhua Yu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; Global Health Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Qianqian Xiang
- Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Faxue Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Dieyi Chen
- Department of Global Health, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Lan Zhang
- Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Kejia Hu
- Institute of Island and Coastal Ecosystems, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, China
| | - Ling Zhang
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China
| | - Yunquan Zhang
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China; Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
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