Does the meteorological origin of heat waves influence their impact on health? A 6-year morbidity and mortality study in Madrid (Spain).

Autor: Ruiz-Páez R; Alcala University, Madrid, Spain., Díaz J; Reference Unit on Climate Change, Health and Urban Environment, National Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: j.diaz@isciii.es., López-Bueno JA; University Autonoma of Madrid, Madrid, Spain., Navas MA; Reference Unit on Climate Change, Health and Urban Environment, National Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain., Mirón IJ; Department of Health, Community Board of Castile La Mancha, Toledo, Spain., Martínez GS; The UNEP DTU Partnership, Copenhagen, Denmark., Luna MY; State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), Madrid, Spain., Linares C; Reference Unit on Climate Change, Health and Urban Environment, National Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: The Science of the total environment [Sci Total Environ] 2023 Jan 10; Vol. 855, pp. 158900. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Sep 19.
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158900
Abstrakt: Background: In Spain, two synoptic-scale conditions influence heat wave formation. The first involves advection of warm and dry air masses carrying dust of Saharan origin (North African Dust (NAF) = 1). The second entails anticyclonic stagnation with high insolation and stability (NAF) = 0). Some studies show that the meteorological origin of these heat waves may affect their impact on morbidity and mortality.
Objective: To determine whether the impact of heat waves on health outcomes in Madrid (Spain) during 2013-2018 varied by synoptic-scale condition.
Methodology: Outcome data consist of daily mortality and daily hospital emergency admissions (morbidity) for natural, circulatory, and respiratory causes. Predictors include daily maximum and minimum temperatures and daily mean concentrations of NO 2 , PM 10 , PM 2.5 , NO 2 , and O 3 . Analyses adjust for insolation, relative humidity, and wind speed. Generalized linear models were performed with Poisson link between the variables controlling for trend, seasonality, and auto-regression in the series. Relative Risks (RR) and Attributable Risks (AR) were determined. The RRs for mortality attributable to high temperatures were similar regardless of NAF status. For hospital admissions, however, the RRs for hot days with NAF = 0 are higher than for days with NAF = 1. We also found that atmospheric pollutants worsen morbidity and mortality, especially PM 10 concentrations when NAF = 1 and O 3 concentrations when NAF = 0.
Results: The effect of heat waves on morbidity and mortality depends on the synoptic situation. The impact is greater under anticyclonic stagnation conditions than under Saharan dust advection. Further, the health impact of pollutants such as PM 10 and O 3 varies according to the synoptic situation.
Conclusions: Based on these findings, we strongly recommend prevention plans to include data on the meteorological situation originating the heat wave, on a synoptic-scale, as well as comprehensive preventive measures against the compounding effect of high temperatures and pollution.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The researchers declare that they have no conflict of interest that would compromise the independence of this research work. The views expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the institutions they are affiliated with.
(Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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