Heat and cold waves affect people with certain health conditions differently, highlighting the need for tailored public service risk communication.
Heat and cold waves affect people with certain health conditions differently, highlighting the need for tailored public service risk communication.
Extreme hot and cold weather increase the number of deaths and emergency room visits but affect specific at-risk populations differently, according to new research from the U.S. and Japan.
The study, published in the journal Risk Analysis, found that extreme cold increased mortality and morbidity risks for people with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, while extreme heat was risky for people with renal diseases. “We analyzed the data from Twin Cities, Minnesota, in the U.S., and found patterns with universal validity across the globe,” says Matteo Convertino, an Associate Professor of Hokkaido University who led the study. The results highlight the potential for tailoring public service messages for people with specific health conditions.
While well known that extreme weather can be dangerous, not enough analysis has been done to compare specific temperatures against deaths and disease to know when public service messaging will be most effective.
Read more at Hokkaido University
Photo Credit: stux via Pixabay
