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On the association between weather variability and total and cause-specific mortality before and during industrialization in Sweden

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel Oudin Åström

    (Lunds Universitet)

  • Sören Edvinsson

    (Umeå Universitet)

  • David Hondula

    (Arizona State University)

  • Joacim Rocklöv

    (Umeå Universitet)

  • Barbara Schumann

    (Umeå Universitet)

Abstract

Background: While there is ample evidence for health risks associated with heat and other extreme weather events today, little is known about the impact of weather patterns on population health in preindustrial societies. Objective: To investigate the impact of weather patterns on population health in Sweden before and during industrialization. Methods: We obtained records of monthly mortality and of monthly mean temperatures and precipitation for Skellefteå parish, northern Sweden, for the period 1800-1950. The associations between monthly total mortality, as well as monthly mortality due to infectious and cardiovascular diseases, and monthly mean temperature and cumulative precipitation were modelled using a time series approach for three separate periods, 1800−1859, 1860-1909, and 1910-1950. Results: We found higher temperatures and higher amounts of precipitation to be associated with lower mortality both in the medium term (same month and two-months lag) and in the long run (lag of six months up to a year). Similar patterns were found for mortality due to infectious and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, the effect of temperature and precipitation decreased over time. Conclusions: Higher temperature and precipitation amounts were associated with reduced death counts with a lag of up to 12 months. The decreased effect over time may be due to improvements in nutritional status, decreased infant deaths, and other changes in society that occurred in the course of the demographic and epidemiological transition. Contribution: The study contributes to a better understanding of the complex relationship between weather and mortality and, in particular, historical weather-related mortality.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Oudin Åström & Sören Edvinsson & David Hondula & Joacim Rocklöv & Barbara Schumann, 2016. "On the association between weather variability and total and cause-specific mortality before and during industrialization in Sweden," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(33), pages 991-1010.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:35:y:2016:i:33
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2016.35.33
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Maria J. Wisselgren & S�ren Edvinsson & Mats Berggren & Maria Larsson, 2014. "Testing Methods of Record Linkage on Swedish Censuses," Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(3), pages 138-151, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tina Ho & Andrew Noymer, 2017. "Summertime, and the livin’ is easy: Winter and summer pseudoseasonal life expectancy in the United States," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 37(45), pages 1445-1476.
    2. Lena Karlsson, 2017. "Indigenous Infant Mortality by Age and Season of Birth, 1800–1899: Did Season of Birth Affect Children’s Chances for Survival?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    mortality; cause-specific mortality; weather variability; climate;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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