Table 3.
Recent Studies Identifying Vulnerable Subgroups of Mortality from High Ambient Temperature
| Reference | Study location | Study design | Exposure | Causes of death | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baccini 2008 [12] | 15 European cities, April-September 1990-2000 (5-11 years depending on data availability for city) | Time-series | Maximum apparent temperature (threshold 29.4°C Mediterranean cities and 23.3°C north-continental cities) | Daily all-cause mortality | Respiratory diseases among 75+ years |
| Basu and Ostro 2008 [14] | 9 California counties, May to September 1999-2003 | Case-crossover | Mean daily apparent temperature | Cause-specific mortality; all-cause mortality by age, race/ethnicity, gender, education level | Cardiovascular, higher specifically for ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure, ≤ 1 year, ≤ 5 years, elderly, Black race, out of hospital death; no elevated risks for cerebrovascular, diabetes, respiratory; no difference by gender or high school graduation |
| Bell 2008 [15] | Sao Paulo, Brazil, Santiago, Chile and Mexico City, Mexico, 1998-2002 | Case-crossover | Same day apparent temperature | Daily all-cause mortality | 65+ years, women in Mexico City, but men in Santiago and Sao Paulo, less educated in Sao Paulo |
| Ishigami 2008 [24] | Budapest, London and Milan, 2003 | Time-series | Mean daily temperature (lag0 and lag1), PM10 (TSP in Budapest), ozone | Daily all-cause mortality | Increased age, females 65+ years greater risk in London and Milan and non-elderly adults in Milan; mortality from external causes, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases |
| Stafoggia 2008 [30] | 4 Italian cities, 1997-2004 | Case-crossover | Apparent temperature 30°C compared to 20°C | Deaths in hospitals for those with 2+ days in hospital | Increased age, single general medicine compared to high and intensive care units, history of psychiatric disorders, cerebrovascular diseases, heart failure, stroke, chronic pulmonary diseases |
| Vaneckova 2008a [46] | Sydney, Australia, October to March 1993-2001 | Time-series | Temporal Synoptic Index (TSI); ratio of highest 10% mortality days within air mass and % frequency of air mass occurrence | Daily all-cause mortality | 65+ years, women |
| Yip 2008 [52] | Maricopa County, Arizona, June to September 2000-2005 |
Time-series | Heat index | Heat-related deaths | Young and old outdoors, but greater risk for elderly indoors |
| Hajat 2007 [25] | England and Wales, 1993-2003 |
Time-series | Heat (> 95th %) and cold (< 5th %) thresholds | All-cause mortality | Elderly, those in nursing care homes respiratory and external causes, women; not modified by deprivation in London |
| Medina-Ramon 2007 [21] | 50 US cities in cold (November to March) and warm (May to September) seasons | Case-crossover | Binary variable as extreme temperature and continuous; ozone | All-cause and CVD mortality | Cities with milder summers, less air conditioning and higher population density |
| Diaz 2006 [35] | Madrid, January 1986-December 1997 | Time-series | T(hwave) = Tmax-36.5C if Tmax>36.5C; 5th % to 95th % temperature, NO2 | AR = (RR-1)/RR for daily mortality | Circulatory causes, males 45-64 years |
| Stafoggia 2006 [16] | Bologna, Milan, Rome, Turin, 1997-2003 | Case-crossover | 30°C mean apparent temperature (lag01) relative to 20°C; odds ratio | All-cause mortality and previous hospitalization | Increased age and greater for women, widows and widowers, psychiatric disorders, depression, heart and circulatory disorders |
| Hajat 2005 [48] | Delhi, Sao Paulo, London, January 1991-December 1994 | Time-series | Daily temperature (lag 0,1) greater than 20°C |
Daily all-cause mortality | Respiratory deaths in Sao Paulo and London; children in Delhi |
| O'Neill, Zanobetti and Schwartz 2005 [37] | Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, 1988-1993 for Chicago and 1986-1993 for other cities | Time-series | Percent change daily mean temperature 29°C relative to 15°C (lag0), barometric pressure, day of the week, PM10 | Mortality, prevalence of air conditioner (AC) | Black race, lack of air conditioner |
| Gouveia 2003 [33] | Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1991-1994 | Time-series | Daily mean temperature (lag01), SO2, PM10, CO, O3, NO2, day of the week, season, humidity | Daily all-cause mortality, excluding violent deaths, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality | Greatest for 65+years and < 15 years, also increased for15-64 years; elderly cardiovascular, respiratory for adults and elderly; no modification by socioeconomic status |
| O'Neill 2003 [38] | 7 US cities, 1986-1993 |
Time-series | Mean daily apparent temperature (% change 29°C and -5°C), PM10 | Daily all-cause mortality, looking at effect modification by demographics & other variables | Black race, less educated, and outside hospital |
| Rainham and Smoyer-Tomic 2003 [42] | Toronto, May 1 to September 30, 1980-1996 | Time-series | Humidex, CO, O3, NO2, SO2 | Daily all-cause mortality | Females |
| Curriero 2002 [39] | 11 Eastern US cities, 1973-1994 | Time-series | Daily mean temperature, dew point temperature; minimum mortality temperature (MMT) range: 65.2-90.3 | Daily all-cause mortality, excluding accidents | Higher latitude, more poverty, less air conditioning or heating |