Heat, Heatwaves and Cardiorespiratory Hospital Admissions in Helsinki, Finland

Hasan Sohail, Virpi Kollanus, Pekka Tiittanen, Alexandra Schneider and Timo Lanki
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Hasan Sohail: Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
Virpi Kollanus: Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), 70701 Kuopio, Finland
Pekka Tiittanen: Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), 70701 Kuopio, Finland
Alexandra Schneider: Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
Timo Lanki: Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-11

Abstract: Background: There is a lack of knowledge concerning the effects of ambient heat exposure on morbidity in Northern Europe. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the relationships of daily summertime temperature and heatwaves with cardiorespiratory hospital admissions in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland. Methods : Time series models adjusted for potential confounders, such as air pollution, were used to investigate the associations of daily temperature and heatwaves with cause-specific cardiorespiratory hospital admissions during summer months of 2001–2017. Daily number of hospitalizations was obtained from the national hospital discharge register and weather information from the Finnish Meteorological Institute. Results : Increased daily temperature was associated with a decreased risk of total respiratory hospital admissions and asthma. Heatwave days were associated with 20.5% (95% CI: 6.9, 35.9) increased risk of pneumonia admissions and during long or intense heatwaves also with total respiratory admissions in the oldest age group (≥75 years). There were also suggestive positive associations between heatwave days and admissions due to myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular diseases. In contrast, risk of arrhythmia admissions decreased 20.8% (95% CI: 8.0, 31.8) during heatwaves. Conclusions : Heatwaves, rather than single hot days, are a health threat affecting morbidity even in a Northern climate.

Keywords: heat; heatwave; cardiovascular diseases; respiratory diseases; hospital admissions; climate change; ambient temperature; public health; time series; summer months (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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