Seasonality in mortality and its relationship to temperature among the older population in Hanoi, Vietnam
Background: Several studies have established a relationship between temperature and mortality. In particular, older populations have been shown to be vulnerable to temperature effects. However, little information exists on the temperature–mortality relationship in Vietnam. Objectives: This article a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2014-12-01
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| Series: | Global Health Action |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.globalhealthaction.net/index.php/gha/article/download/23115/pdf_1 |
| _version_ | 1819061085334929408 |
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| author | Le Thi Thanh Xuan Thaddaeus Egondi Le Tran Ngoan Do Thi Thanh Toan Le Thi Huong |
| author_facet | Le Thi Thanh Xuan Thaddaeus Egondi Le Tran Ngoan Do Thi Thanh Toan Le Thi Huong |
| author_sort | Le Thi Thanh Xuan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Several studies have established a relationship between temperature and mortality. In particular, older populations have been shown to be vulnerable to temperature effects. However, little information exists on the temperature–mortality relationship in Vietnam. Objectives: This article aims to examine the monthly temperature–mortality relationship among older people in Hanoi, Vietnam, over the period between 2005 and 2010, and estimate seasonal patterns in mortality. Methods: We employed Generalized Additive Models, including smooth functions, to model the temperature–mortality relationships. A quasi-Poisson distribution was used to model overdispersion of death counts. Temporal trends, seasonality, and population size were adjusted for while estimating changes in monthly mortality over the study period. A cold month was defined as a month with a mean temperature below 19°C. Results: This study found that the high peak of mortality coincided with low temperatures in the month of February 2008, during which the mean temperature was the lowest in the whole study period. There was a significant relationship between mean monthly temperature and mortality among the older people (p<0.01). Overall, there was a significant decrease in the number of deaths in the year 2009 during the study period. There was a 21% increase in the number of deaths during the cold season compared to the warm season. The increase in mortality during the cold period was higher among females compared to males (female: IRR [incidence relative risk] =1.23; male: IRR=1.18). Conclusions: Cold temperatures substantially increased mortality among the older population in Hanoi, Vietnam, and there were gender differences. Necessary preventive measures are required to mitigate temperature effects with greater attention to vulnerable groups. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T14:37:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-404d2be93ac343628dd516a4f74b5977 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1654-9880 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T14:37:17Z |
| publishDate | 2014-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Health Action |
| spelling | doaj.art-404d2be93ac343628dd516a4f74b59772022-12-21T19:00:17ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGlobal Health Action1654-98802014-12-01701710.3402/gha.v7.2311523115Seasonality in mortality and its relationship to temperature among the older population in Hanoi, VietnamLe Thi Thanh Xuan0Thaddaeus Egondi1Le Tran Ngoan2Do Thi Thanh Toan3Le Thi Huong4 Department of Environmental Health, Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya Department of Occupational Health, Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, VietnamBackground: Several studies have established a relationship between temperature and mortality. In particular, older populations have been shown to be vulnerable to temperature effects. However, little information exists on the temperature–mortality relationship in Vietnam. Objectives: This article aims to examine the monthly temperature–mortality relationship among older people in Hanoi, Vietnam, over the period between 2005 and 2010, and estimate seasonal patterns in mortality. Methods: We employed Generalized Additive Models, including smooth functions, to model the temperature–mortality relationships. A quasi-Poisson distribution was used to model overdispersion of death counts. Temporal trends, seasonality, and population size were adjusted for while estimating changes in monthly mortality over the study period. A cold month was defined as a month with a mean temperature below 19°C. Results: This study found that the high peak of mortality coincided with low temperatures in the month of February 2008, during which the mean temperature was the lowest in the whole study period. There was a significant relationship between mean monthly temperature and mortality among the older people (p<0.01). Overall, there was a significant decrease in the number of deaths in the year 2009 during the study period. There was a 21% increase in the number of deaths during the cold season compared to the warm season. The increase in mortality during the cold period was higher among females compared to males (female: IRR [incidence relative risk] =1.23; male: IRR=1.18). Conclusions: Cold temperatures substantially increased mortality among the older population in Hanoi, Vietnam, and there were gender differences. Necessary preventive measures are required to mitigate temperature effects with greater attention to vulnerable groups.http://www.globalhealthaction.net/index.php/gha/article/download/23115/pdf_1temperaturemortalityolderVietnam |
| spellingShingle | Le Thi Thanh Xuan Thaddaeus Egondi Le Tran Ngoan Do Thi Thanh Toan Le Thi Huong Seasonality in mortality and its relationship to temperature among the older population in Hanoi, Vietnam Global Health Action temperature mortality older Vietnam |
| title | Seasonality in mortality and its relationship to temperature among the older population in Hanoi, Vietnam |
| title_full | Seasonality in mortality and its relationship to temperature among the older population in Hanoi, Vietnam |
| title_fullStr | Seasonality in mortality and its relationship to temperature among the older population in Hanoi, Vietnam |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seasonality in mortality and its relationship to temperature among the older population in Hanoi, Vietnam |
| title_short | Seasonality in mortality and its relationship to temperature among the older population in Hanoi, Vietnam |
| title_sort | seasonality in mortality and its relationship to temperature among the older population in hanoi vietnam |
| topic | temperature mortality older Vietnam |
| url | http://www.globalhealthaction.net/index.php/gha/article/download/23115/pdf_1 |
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