IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i2p832-d723248.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Effects of Heatwaves on Human Morbidity in Primary Care Settings: A Case-Crossover Study

Author

Listed:
  • Mahmoud Alsaiqali

    (Epidemiology and Social Medicine (ESOC), University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium)

  • Katrien De Troeyer

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Lidia Casas

    (Epidemiology and Social Medicine (ESOC), University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium)

  • Rafiq Hamdi

    (Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium, B-1180 Brussels, Belgium)

  • Christel Faes

    (Data Science Institute (DSI), I-BioStat, Hasselt University, BE-3500 Hasselt, Belgium)

  • Gijs Van Pottelbergh

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

Abstract

Purpose: This study assesses the potential acute effects of heatwaves on human morbidities in primary care settings. Methods: We performed a time-stratified case-crossover study to assess the acute effects of heatwaves on selected morbidities in primary care settings in Flanders, Belgium, between 2000 and 2015. We used conditional logistic regression models. We assessed the effect of heatwaves on the day of the event (lag 0) and X days earlier (lags 1 to X). The associations are presented as Incidence Density Ratios (IDR). Results: We included 22,344 events. Heatwaves are associated with increased heat-related morbidities such as heat stroke IDR 3.93 [2.94–5.26] at lag 0, dehydration IDR 3.93 [2.94–5.26] at lag 1, and orthostatic hypotension IDR 2.06 [1.37–3.10] at lag 1. For cardiovascular morbidities studied, there was only an increased risk of stroke at lag 3 IDR 1.45 [1.04–2.03]. There is no significant association with myocardial ischemia/infarction or arrhythmia. Heatwaves are associated with decreased respiratory infection risk. The IDR for upper respiratory infections is 0.82 [0.78–0.87] lag 1 and lower respiratory infections (LRI) is 0.82 [0.74–0.91] at lag 1. There was no significant effect modification by age or premorbid chronic disease (diabetes, hypertesnsion). Conclusion: Heatwaves are associated with increased heat-related morbidities and decreased respiratory infection risk. The study of heatwaves’ effects in primary care settings helps evaluate the impact of heatwaves on the general population. Primary care settings might be not suitable to study acute life-threatening morbidities.

Suggested Citation

  • Mahmoud Alsaiqali & Katrien De Troeyer & Lidia Casas & Rafiq Hamdi & Christel Faes & Gijs Van Pottelbergh, 2022. "The Effects of Heatwaves on Human Morbidity in Primary Care Settings: A Case-Crossover Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-10, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:2:p:832-:d:723248
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/2/832/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/2/832/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mengmeng Li & Shaohua Gu & Peng Bi & Jun Yang & Qiyong Liu, 2015. "Heat Waves and Morbidity: Current Knowledge and Further Direction-A Comprehensive Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-28, May.
    2. Janine Wichmann & Zorana Jovanovic Andersen & Matthias Ketzel & Thomas Ellermann & Steffen Loft, 2011. "Apparent Temperature and Cause-Specific Mortality in Copenhagen, Denmark: A Case-Crossover Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-16, September.
    3. Sue Smith & Alex J. Elliot & Shakoor Hajat & Angie Bone & Chris Bates & Gillian E. Smith & Sari Kovats, 2016. "The Impact of Heatwaves on Community Morbidity and Healthcare Usage: A Retrospective Observational Study Using Real-Time Syndromic Surveillance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kamar Naser & Zaeem Haq & Bernard D. Naughton, 2024. "The Impact of Climate Change on Health Services in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematised Review and Thematic Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(4), pages 1-22, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ine Van den Wyngaert & Katrien De Troeyer & Bert Vaes & Mahmoud Alsaiqali & Bert Van Schaeybroeck & Rafiq Hamdi & Lidia Casas Ruiz & Gijs Van Pottelbergh, 2021. "Impact of Heat Waves on Hospitalisation and Mortality in Nursing Homes: A Case-Crossover Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-8, October.
    2. Martina S. Ragettli & Apolline Saucy & Benjamin Flückiger & Danielle Vienneau & Kees de Hoogh & Ana M. Vicedo-Cabrera & Christian Schindler & Martin Röösli, 2023. "Explorative Assessment of the Temperature–Mortality Association to Support Health-Based Heat-Warning Thresholds: A National Case-Crossover Study in Switzerland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-16, March.
    3. Pierre Masselot & Fateh Chebana & Taha B. M. J. Ouarda & Diane Bélanger & Pierre Gosselin, 2022. "Data-Enhancement Strategies in Weather-Related Health Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-13, January.
    4. Aleš Urban & Katrin Burkart & Jan Kyselý & Christian Schuster & Eva Plavcová & Hana Hanzlíková & Petr Štěpánek & Tobia Lakes, 2016. "Spatial Patterns of Heat-Related Cardiovascular Mortality in the Czech Republic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-19, March.
    5. Rizmie, Dheeya & de Preux, Laure & Miraldo, Marisa & Atun, Rifat, 2022. "Impact of extreme temperatures on emergency hospital admissions by age and socio-economic deprivation in England," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).
    6. Hasan Sohail & Virpi Kollanus & Pekka Tiittanen & Alexandra Schneider & Timo Lanki, 2020. "Heat, Heatwaves and Cardiorespiratory Hospital Admissions in Helsinki, Finland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-11, October.
    7. Sue Smith & Alex J. Elliot & Shakoor Hajat & Angie Bone & Chris Bates & Gillian E. Smith & Sari Kovats, 2016. "The Impact of Heatwaves on Community Morbidity and Healthcare Usage: A Retrospective Observational Study Using Real-Time Syndromic Surveillance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, January.
    8. Lora E. Fleming & Andy Haines & Brian Golding & Anthony Kessel & Anna Cichowska & Clive E. Sabel & Michael H. Depledge & Christophe Sarran & Nicholas J. Osborne & Ceri Whitmore & Nicola Cocksedge & Da, 2014. "Data Mashups: Potential Contribution to Decision Support on Climate Change and Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-22, February.
    9. Philip E. Morefield & Neal Fann & Anne Grambsch & William Raich & Christopher P. Weaver, 2018. "Heat-Related Health Impacts under Scenarios of Climate and Population Change," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-17, November.
    10. Matteo Paganini & Nikolaos Markou-Pappas & Francesco Della Corte & Paolo Rosi & Giulio Trillò & Marialuisa Ferramosca & Andrea Paoli & Federico Politi & Adriano Valerio & Andrea Favaro & Ives Hubloue , 2024. "Heatwaves Impact on Prehospital Emergency Medicine: A Qualitative Study to Improve Sustainability and Disaster Preparedness in Veneto Region, Northern Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-13, August.
    11. Anna Malmquist & Mattias Hjerpe & Erik Glaas & Hulda Karlsson-Larsson & Tina Lassi, 2022. "Elderly People’s Perceptions of Heat Stress and Adaptation to Heat: An Interview Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-13, March.
    12. Aleš Urban & Jan Kyselý, 2014. "Comparison of UTCI with Other Thermal Indices in the Assessment of Heat and Cold Effects on Cardiovascular Mortality in the Czech Republic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, January.
    13. 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.
    14. Jiandong Liu & Guangsheng Zhou & Hans W. Linderholm & Yanling Song & De-Li Liu & Yanbo Shen & Yanxiang Liu & Jun Du, 2022. "Optimal Strategy on Radiation Estimation for Calculating Universal Thermal Climate Index in Tourism Cities of China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-22, July.
    15. 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.
    16. Michael T. Schmeltz & Elisaveta P. Petkova & Janet L. Gamble, 2016. "Economic Burden of Hospitalizations for Heat-Related Illnesses in the United States, 2001–2010," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-11, September.
    17. Tarik Benmarhnia & Patrick Grenier & Allan Brand & Michel Fournier & Séverine Deguen & Audrey Smargiassi, 2015. "Quantifying Vulnerability to Extreme Heat in Time Series Analyses: A Novel Approach Applied to Neighborhood Social Disparities under Climate Change," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-11, September.
    18. Kyusik Kim & Jihoon Jung & Claire Schollaert & June T. Spector, 2021. "A Comparative Assessment of Cooling Center Preparedness across Twenty-Five U.S. Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-16, April.
    19. Mary Fox & Christopher Zuidema & Bridget Bauman & Thomas Burke & Mary Sheehan, 2019. "Integrating Public Health into Climate Change Policy and Planning: State of Practice Update," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-22, September.
    20. Francesco Guolo & Elisa Stivanello & Lorenzo Pizzi & Teodoro Georgiadis & Letizia Cremonini & Muriel Assunta Musti & Marianna Nardino & Filippo Ferretti & Paolo Marzaroli & Vincenza Perlangeli & Paolo, 2022. "Emergency Department Visits and Summer Temperatures in Bologna, Northern Italy, 2010–2019: A Case-Crossover Study and Geographically Weighted Regression Methods," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-15, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:2:p:832-:d:723248. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.