Impact of heat waves and cold spells on cause-specific mortality in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazi

Author(s)

de Moraes, Sara Lopes ^{[1, 2]} ; Almendra, Ricardo ^[3] ; Barrozo, Ligia Vizeu ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Adv Studies, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Philosophy Literature & Human Sci, Dept Geog, Ave Prof Lineu Prestes 338, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Coimbra, Ctr Studies Geog & Spatial Planning CEGOT, Dept Geog & Tourism, Coimbra - Portugal

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYGIENE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH; v. 239, JAN 2022.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The impact of heat waves and cold spells on mortality has become a major public health problem worldwide, especially among older adults living in low-to middle-income countries. This study aimed to investigate the effects of heat waves and cold spells under different definitions on cause-specific mortality among people aged >= 65 years in Sa similar to o Paulo from 2006 to 2015. A quasi-Poisson generalized linear model with a distributed lag model was used to investigate the association between cause-specific mortality and extreme air temperature events. To evaluate the effects of the intensity under different durations, we considered twelve heat wave and nine cold spell definitions. Our results showed an increase in cause-specific deaths related to heat waves and cold spells under several definitions. The highest risk of death related to heat waves was identified mostly at higher temperature thresholds with longer events. We verified that men were more vulnerable to die from cerebrovascular diseases and ischemic stroke on cold spells and heat waves days than women, while women presented a higher risk of dying from ischemic heart diseases during cold spells and tended to have a higher risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than men during heat waves. Identification of heat wave- and cold spell-related mortality is important for the development and promotion of public health measures. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/25462-0 - Extreme events of air temperature and their relation with the mortality of elderly people in the city of São Paulo
• Grantee: Sara Lopes de Moraes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate