Impact of extreme high temperature on mortality and regional level definition of heat wave: a multi-city study in China.
Sci Total Environ
; 505: 535-44, 2015 Feb 01.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25461056
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Few multi-city studies have been conducted to explore the regional level definition of heat wave and examine the association between extreme high temperature and mortality in developing countries.OBJECTIVES:
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact of extreme high temperature on mortality and to explore the local definition of heat wave in five Chinese cities.METHODS:
We first used a distributed lag non-linear model to characterize the effects of daily mean temperature on non-accidental mortality. We then employed a generalized additive model to explore the city-specific definition of heat wave. Finally, we performed a comparative analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of the definition.RESULTS:
For each city, we found a positive non-linear association between extreme high temperature and mortality, with the highest effects appearing within 3 days of extreme heat event onset. Specifically, we defined individual heat waves of Beijing and Tianjin as being two or more consecutive days with daily mean temperatures exceeding 30.2 °C and 29.5 °C, respectively, and Nanjing, Shanghai and Changsha heat waves as ≥3 consecutive days with daily mean temperatures higher than 32.9 °C, 32.3 °C and 34.5 °C, respectively. Comparative analysis generally supported the definition.CONCLUSIONS:
We found extreme high temperatures were associated with increased mortality, after a short lag period, when temperatures exceeded obvious threshold levels. The city-specific definition of heat wave developed in our study may provide guidance for the establishment and implementation of early heat-health response systems for local government to deal with the projected negative health outcomes due to heat waves.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Cities
/
Heat Stress Disorders
/
Environmental Exposure
/
Hot Temperature
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
Sci Total Environ
Year:
2015
Document type:
Article