| 1. |
- Dixon, P. Grady, et al.
(författare)
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Perspectives on the Synoptic Climate Classification and its Role in Interdisciplinary Research
- 2016
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Ingår i: Geography Compass. - : Wiley. - 1749-8198. ; 10:4, s. 147-164
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Synoptic climatology has a long history of research where weather data are aggregated and composited to gain a better understanding of atmospheric effects on non-atmospheric variables. This has resulted in an applied scientific discipline that yields methods and tools designed for applications across disciplinary boundaries. The spatial synoptic classification (SSC) is an example of such a tool that helps researchers bridge methodological gaps between disciplines, especially those studying weather effects on human health. The SSC has been applied in several multi-discipline projects, and it appears that there is ample opportunity for growth into new topical areas. Likewise, there is opportunity for the SSC network to be expanded across the globe, especially into mid-latitude locations in the Southern Hemisphere. There is some question of the utility of the SSC in tropical locations, but such decisions must be based on the actual weather data from individual locations. Despite all of the strengths and potential uses of the SSC, there are some research problems, some locations, and some datasets for which it is not suitable. Nevertheless, the success of the SSC as a cross-disciplinary method is noteworthy because it has become a catalyst for collaboration.
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| 2. |
- Hondula, David M, et al.
(författare)
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A time series approach for evaluating intra-city heat-related mortality
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. - : BMJ. - 0143-005X .- 1470-2738. ; 67:8, s. 707-712
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Extreme heat is a leading cause of weather-related mortality. Most research has considered the aggregate response of the populations of large metropolitan areas, but the focus of heat-related mortality and morbidity investigations is shifting towards a more fine-scale approach in which impacts are measured in smaller units such as postal codes. However, most existing statistical techniques to model the relationship between temperature and mortality cannot be directly applied to the intra-city scale because small sample sizes inhibit proper modelling of seasonality and long-term trends. Here we propose a time series technique based on local-scale mortality observations that can provide more reliable information about vulnerability within metropolitan areas. The method combines a generalised additive model with direct standardisation to account for changing death rates in intra-city zones. We apply the method to a 26-year time series of postal code-referenced mortality data from Philadelphia County, USA, where we find that heat-related mortality is unevenly spatially distributed. Fifteen of 46 postal codes are associated with significantly increased mortality on extreme heat days, most of which are located in the central and western portions of the county. In some cases the local death rate is more than double the county average. Identification of high-risk areas can enable targeted public health intervention and mitigation strategies.
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| 3. |
- Hondula, David M, et al.
(författare)
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Past, present, and future climate at select INDEPTH member Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems in Africa and Asia
- 2012
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 5, s. 74-86
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Climate and weather affect human health directly and indirectly. There is a renewed interest in various aspects of environmental health as our understanding of ongoing climate change improves. In particular, today, the health effects in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are not well understood. Many computer models predict some of the biggest changes in places where people are equipped with minimal resources to combat the effects of a changing environment, particularly with regard to human health.OBJECTIVE: This article documents the observed and projected climate profiles of select sites within the International Network for the Demographic Evaluation of Populations and Their Health (INDEPTH) network of Health and Demographic Surveillance System sites in Africa and Asia to support the integration of climate research with health practice and policy.DESIGN: The climatology of four meteorological stations representative of a suite of INDEPTH Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems (HDSSs) was assessed using daily data of 10 years. Historical and future trends were analyzed using reanalysis products and global climate model projections.RESULTS: The climate characteristics of the HDSS sites investigated suggest vulnerability to different environmental stressors, and the changes expected over the next century are far greater in magnitude than those observed at many of the INDEPTH member sites.CONCLUSIONS: The magnitude of potential future climate changes in the LMICs highlights the need for improvements in collaborative climate-health research in these countries. Climate data resources are available to support such research efforts. The INDEPTH studies presented in this supplement are the first attempt to assess and document associations of climatic factors with mortality at the HDSSs.
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| 4. |
- Odhiambo Sewe, Maquins, et al.
(författare)
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Estimated Effect of Temperature on Years of Life Lost : A Retrospective Time-Series Study of Low-, Middle-, and High-Income Regions
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives. - : Public Health Services, US Dept of Health and Human Services. - 0091-6765 .- 1552-9924. ; 126:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have reported a strong association between temperature and mortality. Additional insights can be gained from investigating the effects of temperature on years of life lost (YLL), considering the life expectancy at the time of death.OBJECTIVES: The goal of this work was to assess the association between temperature and YLL at seven low-, middle-, and high-income sites.METHODS: We obtained meteorological and population data for at least nine years from four Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites in Kenya (western Kenya, Nairobi), Burkina Faso (Nouna), and India (Vadu), as well as data from cities in the United States (Philadelphia, Phoenix) and Sweden (Stockholm). A distributed lag nonlinear model was used to estimate the association of daily maximum temperature and daily YLL, lagged 0-14 d. The reference value was set for each site at the temperature with the lowest YLL.RESULTS: Generally, YLL increased with higher temperature, starting day 0. In Nouna, the hottest location, with a minimum YLL temperature at the first percentile, YLL increased consistently with higher temperatures. In Vadu, YLL increased in association with heat, whereas in Nairobi, YLL increased in association with both low and high temperatures. Associations with cold and heat were evident for Phoenix (stronger for heat), Stockholm, and Philadelphia (both stronger for cold). Patterns of associations with mortality were generally similar to those with YLL.CONCLUSIONS: Both high and low temperatures are associated with YLL in high-, middle-, and low-income countries. Policy guidance and health adaptation measures might be improved with more comprehensive indicators of the health burden of high and low temperatures such as YLL.
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| 5. |
- Parkinson, Alan J., et al.
(författare)
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Climate change and infectious diseases in the Arctic : Establishment of a circumpolar working group
- 2014
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Ingår i: International Journal of Circumpolar Health. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1239-9736 .- 2242-3982. ; 73
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Arctic, even more so than other parts of the world, has warmed substantially over the past few decades. Temperature and humidity influence the rate of development, survival and reproduction of pathogens and thus the incidence and prevalence of many infectious diseases. Higher temperatures may also allow infected host species to survive winters in larger numbers, increase the population size and expand their habitat range. The impact of these changes on human disease in the Arctic has not been fully evaluated. There is concern that climate change may shift the geographic and temporal distribution of a range of infectious diseases. Many infectious diseases are climate sensitive, where their emergence in a region is dependent on climate-related ecological changes. Most are zoonotic diseases, and can be spread between humans and animals by arthropod vectors, water, soil, wild or domestic animals. Potentially climate-sensitive zoonotic pathogens of circumpolar concern include Brucella spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Trichinella spp., Clostridium botulinum, Francisella tularensis, Borrelia burgdorferi, Bacillus anthracis, Echinococcus spp., Leptospira spp., Giardia spp., Cryptosporida spp., Coxiella burnetti, rabies virus, West Nile virus, Hantaviruses, and tick-borne encephalitis viruses.
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