2017
Author(s): Xu Z, Crooks JL, Black D, Hu W, Tong S
OBJECTIVES: Data on the health impacts of heatwaves in infants are limited, and this study aimed to examine how heatwaves affect hospital admissions in infants. METHODS: A quasi-Poisson generalized additive model was used to assess the effects of heatwaves on hospital admissions in infants from 1st January 2005 to 31st December 2015 in Brisbane, Australia, using a series of heatwave definitions after controlling for possible confounders. A case-only analysis was conducted to examine the possible modification effects of personal and community characteristics on the heatwaves effects on infants' hospital admissions. RESULTS: There was no significant increase in infants' hospital admissions when heatwave intensity was defined as mean temperature >/=90(th) percentile or >/=95th percentile of the mean temperature across the study period. When heatwave intensity increased to >/=97th percentile, infants' hospital admissions increased significantly (RR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.10), and this increase raised with the increase of heatwave duration. No modification effect of gender, indigenous status, or Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) level on heatwave effect was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Infants in Brisbane were sensitive to intense heatwaves, and future heat early warning system based on a local evidence-based heatwave definition is needed to protect infants from heatwave impacts. Community-based heatwave adaptation programs aiming at raising the awareness of the adverse health impacts of intense heatwaves among infants' caregivers may relieve the postnatal health care demand in infants.
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.06.030
Journal: Environmental Pollution