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Lung SCC, Liou ML, Yeh JCJ, Hwang JS. A pilot heat-health warning system co-designed for a subtropical city. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294281. [PMID: 37948468 PMCID: PMC10637700 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Significant heat-related casualties underlie the urgency of establishing a heat-health warning system (HHWS). This paper presents an evidence-based pilot HHWS developed for Taipei City, Taiwan, through a co-design process engaging stakeholders. In the co-design process, policy concerns related to biometeorology, epidemiology and public health, and risk communication aspects were identified, with knowledge gaps being filled by subsequent findings. The biometeorological results revealed that Taipei residents were exposed to wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) levels of health concern for at least 100 days in 2016. The hot spots and periods identified using WBGT would be missed out if using temperature, underlining the importance of adopting an appropriate heat indicator. Significant increases in heat-related emergency were found in Taipei at WBGT exceeding 36°C with reference-adjusted risk ratio (RaRR) of 2.42, taking 30°C as the reference; and residents aged 0-14 had the highest risk enhancement (RaRR = 7.70). As for risk communication, occurring frequency was evaluated to avoid too frequent warnings, which would numb the public and exhaust resources. After integrating knowledge and reconciling the different preferences and perspectives, the pilot HHWS was co-implemented in 2018 by the science team and Taipei City officials; accompanying responsive measures were formulated for execution by ten city government departments/offices. The results of this pilot served as a useful reference for establishing a nationwide heat-alert app in 2021/2022. The lessons learnt during the interactive co-design processes provide valuable insights for establishing HHWSs worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Chun Candice Lung
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Lone Liou
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jou-Chen Joy Yeh
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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Kim Y, Oka K, Kawazu EC, Ng CFS, Seposo X, Ueda K, Hashizume M, Honda Y. Enhancing health resilience in Japan in a changing climate. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. WESTERN PACIFIC 2023; 40:100970. [PMID: 38116496 PMCID: PMC10730320 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Climate change poses significant threats to human health, propelling Japan to take decisive action through the Climate Change Adaptation Act of 2018. This Act has led to the implementation of climate change adaptation policies across various sectors, including healthcare. In this review, we synthesized existing scientific evidence on the impacts of climate change on health in Japan and outlined the adaptation strategies and measures implemented by the central and local governments. The country has prioritized tackling heat-related illness and mortality and undertaken various adaptation measures to mitigate these risks. However, it faces unique challenges due to its super-aged society. Ensuring effective and coordinated strategies to address the growing uncertainties in vulnerability to climate change and the complex intersectoral impacts of disasters remains a critical issue. To combat the additional health risks by climate change, a comprehensive approach embracing adaptation and mitigation policies in the health sector is crucial. Encouraging intersectoral communication and collaboration will be vital for developing coherent and effective strategies to safeguard public health in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoonhee Kim
- Department of Global Environmental Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Oka
- Center for Climate Change Adaptation, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan
| | | | - Chris Fook Sheng Ng
- Department of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Xerxes Seposo
- Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Japan
| | - Kayo Ueda
- Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Japan
| | - Masahiro Hashizume
- Department of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Global Health, School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Japan
| | - Yasushi Honda
- Center for Climate Change Adaptation, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan
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Oka K, Honda Y, Hui Phung VL, Hijioka Y. Potential effect of heat adaptation on association between number of heatstroke patients transported by ambulance and wet bulb globe temperature in Japan. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114666. [PMID: 36328225 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study analyzed the association between heatstroke incidence and daily maximum wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) for all 47 prefectures in Japan by age group and severity using time-series analysis, controlling for confounders, such as seasonality and long-term trends. With the obtained association, the relative risk between the reference WBGT (defined as the value at which heatstroke starts to increase) and the daily maximum WBGT at 30 °C (RRwbgt30) of each prefecture were calculated. For the heatstroke data, the daily number of heatstroke patients transported by ambulance at the prefecture level, provided by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, was utilized. The analysis was conducted for age groups of 7-17 y, 18-64 y, and ≥65 y, and for severity of Deceased, Severe, Moderate (combined as DSM), and Mild. The analysis period was set from May 1 to September 30, 2015-2019. Finally, the correlation between RRwbgt30 and the average daily maximum WBGT during the analysis period (aveWBGTms) of each prefecture was analyzed to examine the regionality of heatstroke incidence. The result showed that RRwbgt30 is negatively correlated with aveWBGTms for the age group 18-64 y and ≥65 y (except for the age group 7-17 y) and for severity. The natural logarithm of the RRwbgt30 of all 47 prefectures ranged from 2.0 to 8.2 for the age group 7-17 y, 1.1 to 4.0 for the age group 18-64 y, 1.8 to 6.0 for the age group ≥65 y, and 1.0 to 3.6 for DSM, and 0.9 to 4.0 for Mild. This regionality can be attributed to the effects of heat adaptation, where people in hotter regions are accustomed to implementing measures against hot environments and are more heat acclimatized than people in cooler regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazutaka Oka
- Center for Climate Change Adaptation, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan.
| | - Yasushi Honda
- Center for Climate Change Adaptation, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Vera Ling Hui Phung
- Center for Climate Change Adaptation, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Yasuaki Hijioka
- Center for Climate Change Adaptation, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
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Liang M, Min M, Ye P, Duan L, Sun Y. Are there joint effects of different air pollutants and meteorological factors on mental disorders? A machine learning approach. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:6818-6827. [PMID: 36008583 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22662-0] [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: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to air pollutants is considered to be associated with mental disorders (MD). Few studies have addressed joint effect of multiple air pollutants and meteorological factors on admissions of MD. We examined the association between multiple air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, O3, SO2, and NO2), meteorological factors (temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, and sunshine time), and MD risk in Yancheng, China. Associations were estimated by a generalized linear regression model (GLM) adjusting for time trend, day of the week, and patients' average age. Empirical weights of environmental exposures were judged by a weighted quantile sum (WQS) model. A machine learning approach, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), was used to assess the overall effect of mixed exposures. We calculated excess risk (ER) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for each exposure. According to the effect of temperature on MD, we divided the exposure of all factors into different temperature groups. In the high temperature group, GLM found that for every 10 μg/m3 increase in O3, PM2.5 and PM10 exposure, the ERs were 1.926 (95%CI 0.345, 3.531), 1.038 (95%CI 0.024, 2.062), and 0.780 (95% CI 0.052, 1.512) after adjusting for covariates. Temperature, relative humidity, and sunshine time also reported significant results. The WQS identified O3 and temperature (above the threshold) had the highest weights among air pollutants and meteorological factors. BKMR found a significant positive association between mixed exposure and MD risks. In the low temperature group, only O3 and temperature (below the threshold) showed significant results. These findings provide policymakers and practitioners with important scientific evidence for possible interventions. The association between different exposures and MD risk warrants further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Liang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Min Min
- Anhui Institute of Medical Information (Anhui Medical Association), Hefei, 230061, Anhui, China
| | - Pengpeng Ye
- National Center for Chronic and Noncommunicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Leilei Duan
- National Center for Chronic and Noncommunicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yehuan Sun
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
- Chaohu Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 238000, Anhui, China.
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Kanda J, Wakasugi M, Kondo Y, Ueno S, Kaneko H, Okada Y, Okano Y, Kishihara Y, Hamaguchi J, Ishihara T, Igarashi Y, Nakae R, Miyamoto S, Yamada E, Ikechi D, Yamazaki M, Tanaka D, Sawada Y, Suda C, Yoshimura S, Onodera R, Kano K, Hongo T, Endo K, Iwasaki Y, Kodaira H, Yasuo S, Seki N, Okuda H, Nakajima S, Nagato T, Terazumi K, Nakamura S, Yokobori S. Heat stroke management during the COVID-19 pandemic: Recommendations from the experts in Japan (2nd edition). Acute Med Surg 2023; 10:e827. [PMID: 37056485 PMCID: PMC10086676 DOI: 10.1002/ams2.827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Both coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and heat stroke have symptoms of fever or hyperthermia and the difficulty in distinguishing them could lead to a strain on emergency medical care. To mitigate the potential confusion that could arise from actions for preventing both COVID-19 spread and heat stroke, particularly in the context of record-breaking summer season temperatures, this work offers new knowledge and evidence that address concerns regarding indoor ventilation and indoor temperatures, mask wearing and heat stroke risk, and the isolation of older adults. Specifically, the current work is the second edition to the previously published guidance for handling heat stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic, prepared by the "Working group on heat stroke medical care during the COVID-19 epidemic," composed of members from four organizations in different medical and related fields. The group was established by the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine Heatstroke and Hypothermia Surveillance Committee. This second edition includes new knowledge, and conventional evidence gleaned from a primary selection of 60 articles from MEDLINE, one article from Cochrane, 13 articles from Ichushi, and a secondary/final selection of 56 articles. This work summarizes the contents that have been clarified in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases and heat stroke to provide guidance for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heat stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Kanda
- Department of Emergency MedicineTeikyo University School of MedicineItabashiJapan
| | - Masahiro Wakasugi
- Department of Emergency and Disaster MedicineUniversity of ToyamaToyamaJapan
| | - Yutaka Kondo
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care MedicineJuntendo University Urayasu HospitalUrayasuJapan
| | - Satoru Ueno
- Japan Organisation of Occupational Health and SafetyNational Institute of Occupational Safety and HealthKiyoseJapan
| | - Hitoshi Kaneko
- Department of Trauma and Emergency MedicineTokyo Metropolitan Tama Medical CenterFuchuJapan
| | - Yohei Okada
- Department of Public Health Graduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Yuichi Okano
- Department of Emergency MedicineKumamoto Sekijuji HospitalKumamotoJapan
| | - Yuki Kishihara
- Department of Urology, Emergency Room, Jichi Medical University Saitama Medical CenterJichi Medical UniversityShimotsukeJapan
| | - Jun Hamaguchi
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care MedicineTokyo Metropolitan Tama Medical CenterFuchuJapan
| | - Tadashi Ishihara
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care MedicineJuntendo University Urayasu HospitalUrayasuJapan
| | - Yutaka Igarashi
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care MedicineNippon Medical SchoolBunkyo CityJapan
| | - Ryuta Nakae
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care MedicineNippon Medical SchoolBunkyo CityJapan
| | - Sohma Miyamoto
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care MedicineSt. Luke's International HospitalChuo CityJapan
| | - Eri Yamada
- Advanced Medical Emergency Department and Critical Care CenterMaebashi Red Cross HospitalMaebashiJapan
| | - Daisuke Ikechi
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care MedicineHitachi General HospitalHitachiJapan
| | - Maiko Yamazaki
- Department of Emergency MedicineTeikyo University School of MedicineItabashiJapan
| | - Daiki Tanaka
- Department of Emergency MedicineTeikyo University School of MedicineItabashiJapan
| | - Yusuke Sawada
- Department of Emergency MedicineGunma University Graduate School of MedicineMaebashiJapan
| | - Chiaki Suda
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care MedicineSaku Central Hospital Advanced Care CenterSakuJapan
| | | | - Ryuta Onodera
- Department of Preventive ServicesKyoto University School of Public HealthKyotoJapan
| | - Kenichi Kano
- Emergency and Critical Care MedicineKokuritsu Byoin Kiko Kyoto Iryo CenterKyotoJapan
| | - Takashi Hongo
- Emergency DepartmentOkayama Saiseikai General HospitalOkayamaJapan
| | - Kaori Endo
- Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Tokushukai HospitalHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
| | - Yohei Iwasaki
- Trauma and Acute Critical Care CenterTokyo Medical and Dental University HospitalTokyoJapan
| | | | | | - Nozomu Seki
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care MedicineJapanese Red Cross Saitama HospitalSaitamaJapan
| | - Hiroshi Okuda
- Division of Comprehensive MedicineTohoku University Graduate School of MedicineSendaiJapan
| | - Satoshi Nakajima
- Department of Emergency MedicineKyoto Prefectural University of MedicineKyotoJapan
| | - Tadashi Nagato
- Department of Respiratory MedicineJCHO Tokyo Yamate Medical CenterKyotoJapan
| | - Keiko Terazumi
- Trauma and Critical CareJapanese Red Cross Kumamoto HospitalKumamotoJapan
| | - Satoshi Nakamura
- Department of Emergency MedicineAsahi General HospitalAsahiJapan
| | - Shoji Yokobori
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care MedicineNippon Medical SchoolBunkyo CityJapan
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Xu E, Li Y, Li T, Li Q. Association between ambient temperature and ambulance dispatch: a systematic review and meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:66335-66347. [PMID: 35499723 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20508-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have quantified the associations between ambient temperature and dispatch of ambulances, but the conclusions are still controversial. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to summarize all the current evidence. A systematic review of published literature was undertaken to characterize the effect of temperature on ambulance dispatch. We completed the literature search by the end of January 5, 2022. The pooled estimates for different temperature exposures were calculated using a random effects model. Differences among temperature pooled estimates were determined using subgroup analysis. This study was registered with PROSPERO under the number CRD42021284434. This is the first meta-analysis investigating the association between temperature and ambulance dispatch. A total of 25 studies were eligible for this study. The overall increased risks of high temperature, expressed as relative risks, were 1.734 (95% CI: 1.481-2.031). Subgroup analysis found that for the study using daily mean temperature, the high temperature increased the risk of ambulance dispatch by 15.2% (RR = 1.152, 95%CI: 1.081-1.228). In the ambulance dispatch of all-cause subgroups, the RR was 1.179 (95% CI: 1.085-1.282). The results also reported a significant association between low temperature and ambulance dispatch (RR = 1.130, 95% CI: 1.052-1.213). In the subgroup, the RR for cardiovascular disease was 1.209 (95% CI: 1.033-1.414), and respiratory disease was 1.126 (95% CI: 1.012-1.253). Sensitivity analysis indicated that the results were robust, and no obvious publication bias was observed. High temperature and low temperature are important factors influencing the dispatch of ambulances. These findings help improve the understanding of temperature effect on ambulance dispatch, demonstrating the need to consider wider surveillance of acute health outcomes in different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Er Xu
- Hospital Infection Management Office, Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanni Li
- Public Health Department, Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Tingting Li
- Department of Endocrinology, Rheumatology and Immunology, Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Li
- Hospital Infection Management Office, Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Anqing Municipal Hospital, Anqing, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
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Fujimoto M, Nishiura H. Baseline scenarios of heat-related ambulance transportations under climate change in Tokyo, Japan. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13838. [PMID: 35923895 PMCID: PMC9341446 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13838] [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: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Predictive scenarios of heatstroke over the long-term future have yet to be formulated. The purpose of the present study was to generate baseline scenarios of heat-related ambulance transportations using climate change scenario datasets in Tokyo, Japan. Methods Data on the number of heat-related ambulance transportations in Tokyo from 2015 to 2019 were examined, and the relationship between the risk of heat-related ambulance transportations and the daily maximum wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) was modeled using three simple dose-response models. To quantify the risk of heatstroke, future climatological variables were then retrieved to compute the WBGT up to the year 2100 from climate change scenarios (i.e., RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5) using two scenario models. The predicted risk of heat-related ambulance transportations was embedded onto the future age-specific projected population. Results The proportion of the number of days with a WBGT above 28°C is predicted to increase every five years by 0.16% for RCP2.6, 0.31% for RCP4.5, and 0.68% for RCP8.5. In 2100, compared with 2000, the number of heat-related ambulance transportations is predicted to be more than three times greater among people aged 0-64 years and six times greater among people aged 65 years or older. The variance of the heatstroke risk becomes greater as the WBGT increases. Conclusions The increased risk of heatstroke for the long-term future was demonstrated using a simple statistical approach. Even with the RCP2.6 scenario, with the mildest impact of global warming, the risk of heatstroke is expected to increase. The future course of heatstroke predicted by our approach acts as a baseline for future studies.
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