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Characterization of the 2017 Summer Heat Waves and Their Effects on the Population of an Area of Southern Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Ernesto Infusino

    (Department of Environmental Engineering (DIAm), University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 41C, 87036 Rende, Italy)

  • Tommaso Caloiero

    (National Research Council—Institute for Agricultural and Forest Systems in Mediterranean (CNR—ISAFOM), Via Cavour 4/6, 87036 Rende, Italy)

  • Francesco Fusto

    (Multi-Risk Functional Center, Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Calabria, Viale degli Angioini 143, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy)

  • Gianfranco Calderaro

    (Health Protection Department of the Calabria Region, Viale Europa, Località Germaneto, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy)

  • Angelo Brutto

    (Health Protection Department of the Calabria Region, Viale Europa, Località Germaneto, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy)

  • Giuseppe Tagarelli

    (National Research Council—Institute for Agricultural and Forest Systems in Mediterranean (CNR—ISAFOM), Via Cavour 4/6, 87036 Rende, Italy)

Abstract

Knowledge of bioclimatic comfort is paramount for improving people’s quality of life. To this purpose, several studies related to climatic comfort/discomfort have been recently published. These studies mainly focus on the analysis of temperature and relative humidity, i.e., the main variables influencing the environmental stress in the human body. In this context, the present work aims to analyze the number of visits to the hospital emergency department made by the inhabitants of the Crati River valley (Calabria region, southern Italy) during the heat waves that accompanied the African anticyclone in the summer of 2017. The analysis of the bioclimatic comfort was performed using the humidity index. Results showed that greater the index, the higher the number of accesses to the emergency department, in particular by the most vulnerable population groups, such as children and the elderly.

Suggested Citation

  • Ernesto Infusino & Tommaso Caloiero & Francesco Fusto & Gianfranco Calderaro & Angelo Brutto & Giuseppe Tagarelli, 2021. "Characterization of the 2017 Summer Heat Waves and Their Effects on the Population of an Area of Southern Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-16, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:3:p:970-:d:485379
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alisa L. Hass & Kelsey N. Ellis & Lisa Reyes Mason & Jon M. Hathaway & David A. Howe, 2016. "Heat and Humidity in the City: Neighborhood Heat Index Variability in a Mid-Sized City in the Southeastern United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-19, January.
    2. van Loenhout, Joris & Delbiso,Tefera & Kiriliouk, Anna & Rodriguez-Llanes, Jose Manuel & Segers, Johan & Guha-Sapir, Debarati, 2018. "Heat and emergency room admissions in the Netherlands," LIDAM Reprints ISBA 2018043, Université catholique de Louvain, Institute of Statistics, Biostatistics and Actuarial Sciences (ISBA).
    3. Leila Heidari & Andrea Winquist & Mitchel Klein & Cassandra O’Lenick & Andrew Grundstein & Stefanie Ebelt Sarnat, 2016. "Susceptibility to Heat-Related Fluid and Electrolyte Imbalance Emergency Department Visits in Atlanta, Georgia, USA," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-17, October.
    4. Robert E. Davis & Wendy M. Novicoff, 2018. "The Impact of Heat Waves on Emergency Department Admissions in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S.A," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-16, July.
    5. K. Oleson & A. Monaghan & O. Wilhelmi & M. Barlage & N. Brunsell & J. Feddema & L. Hu & D. Steinhoff, 2015. "Interactions between urbanization, heat stress, and climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 129(3), pages 525-541, April.
    6. Lucille Alonso & Florent Renard, 2020. "A Comparative Study of the Physiological and Socio-Economic Vulnerabilities to Heat Waves of the Population of the Metropolis of Lyon (France) in a Climate Change Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-21, February.
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    Cited by:

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