Thermal stress and hospital admissions for cardiorespiratory disease in Brazil

In this study, we explored the association between thermal indices and hospital admissions for circulatory and respiratory diseases in Brazil. We used an extensive dataset spanning 11 years (2008-2018) from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, encompassing a total of 23,791,093 hospitalizations for circulatory and respiratory diseases. We considered four distinct thermal indices-Discomfort Index (DI), Net Effective Temperature (NET), Humidex (H), and Heat Index (HI). We used an extension of the two-stage design with a case time series to assess this relationship. In the first stage, we applied a distributed lag non-linear modeling framework to create a cross-basis function. We next applied quasi-Poisson regression models adjusted by time-varying confounders. In the second stage, we applied meta-analysis with random effects to estimate the national relative risk (RR). Our findings suggest robust variations among the thermal indices under examination. These variations underscore the intricate nature of associations between temperature and health, with each index capturing distinct aspects of thermal conditions. Our results indicate that extreme thermal conditions, both at the low and high ends, are associated with increased risks of hospital admissions. The diverse impact observed among different indices emphasizes the complex interplay between various meteorological factors and their specific physiological consequences. This underscores the necessity for a comprehensive comprehen...
Source: Environment International - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: research