SEASONAL MORTALITY PATTERNS DUE TO DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM IN PORTUGAL

Exposure to cold weather has negative consequences on human health. Studies have been showing that the seasonality of mortality has an evident peak during winter months in European countries. However, the highest increases in mortality are registered in countries with mild winters. According to seve...

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Main Authors: Ricardo Almendra, Paula Santana, João Vasconcelos, Elisabete Freire
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Lomonosov Moscow State University 2015-03-01
Series:Geography, Environment, Sustainability
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ges.rgo.ru/jour/article/view/75
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author Ricardo Almendra
Paula Santana
João Vasconcelos
Elisabete Freire
author_facet Ricardo Almendra
Paula Santana
João Vasconcelos
Elisabete Freire
author_sort Ricardo Almendra
collection DOAJ
description Exposure to cold weather has negative consequences on human health. Studies have been showing that the seasonality of mortality has an evident peak during winter months in European countries. However, the highest increases in mortality are registered in countries with mild winters. According to several studies winter deaths seem to be associated with low socioeconomic conditions. The main aims of this study are to identify the trends of mortality due to diseases of the circulatory system and excess winter deaths in Portugal and to assess the geographical pattern of seasonal mortality. In the 20 years under analyses, mortality due to diseases of the circulatory system increased 38% during winter months when compared to the non-winter period. Important regional disparities were found, the Excess Winter Death index ranged from 21% to 48%, the central regions tend to have better results. Our results indicate that although circulatory mortality is significantly decreasing inPortugal, the vulnerability to seasonal cold weather remains as an important public healthissue. These findings suggest that the exposure to cold weather is an important determinantof cardiovascular diseases that is still neglected in Portugal.
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spelling doaj.art-9c92f9466fe0465bb524c3b0a499276b2023-03-13T07:52:31ZengLomonosov Moscow State UniversityGeography, Environment, Sustainability2071-93882542-15652015-03-0181717810.24057/2071-9388-2015-8-1-71-7874SEASONAL MORTALITY PATTERNS DUE TO DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM IN PORTUGALRicardo Almendra0Paula Santana1João Vasconcelos2Elisabete Freire3CEGOT, Departamento de Geografia, Universidade de Coimbra; Instituto de Estudos Geográficos, Largo da Porta Férrea, Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de CoimbraCEGOT, Departamento de Geografia, Universidade de Coimbra; Instituto de Estudos Geográficos, Largo da Porta Férrea, Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de CoimbraGITUR/ESTM — Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, Santuário de Nossa Senhora dos RemédiosCIAUD, Universidade de Lisboa; Rua Sá Nogueira, Pólo Universitário do Alto da AjudaExposure to cold weather has negative consequences on human health. Studies have been showing that the seasonality of mortality has an evident peak during winter months in European countries. However, the highest increases in mortality are registered in countries with mild winters. According to several studies winter deaths seem to be associated with low socioeconomic conditions. The main aims of this study are to identify the trends of mortality due to diseases of the circulatory system and excess winter deaths in Portugal and to assess the geographical pattern of seasonal mortality. In the 20 years under analyses, mortality due to diseases of the circulatory system increased 38% during winter months when compared to the non-winter period. Important regional disparities were found, the Excess Winter Death index ranged from 21% to 48%, the central regions tend to have better results. Our results indicate that although circulatory mortality is significantly decreasing inPortugal, the vulnerability to seasonal cold weather remains as an important public healthissue. These findings suggest that the exposure to cold weather is an important determinantof cardiovascular diseases that is still neglected in Portugal.https://ges.rgo.ru/jour/article/view/75diseases of the circulatory systemseasonal mortalityexcess winter deathsportugal
spellingShingle Ricardo Almendra
Paula Santana
João Vasconcelos
Elisabete Freire
SEASONAL MORTALITY PATTERNS DUE TO DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM IN PORTUGAL
Geography, Environment, Sustainability
diseases of the circulatory system
seasonal mortality
excess winter deaths
portugal
title SEASONAL MORTALITY PATTERNS DUE TO DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM IN PORTUGAL
title_full SEASONAL MORTALITY PATTERNS DUE TO DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM IN PORTUGAL
title_fullStr SEASONAL MORTALITY PATTERNS DUE TO DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM IN PORTUGAL
title_full_unstemmed SEASONAL MORTALITY PATTERNS DUE TO DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM IN PORTUGAL
title_short SEASONAL MORTALITY PATTERNS DUE TO DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM IN PORTUGAL
title_sort seasonal mortality patterns due to diseases of the circulatory system in portugal
topic diseases of the circulatory system
seasonal mortality
excess winter deaths
portugal
url https://ges.rgo.ru/jour/article/view/75
work_keys_str_mv AT ricardoalmendra seasonalmortalitypatternsduetodiseasesofthecirculatorysysteminportugal
AT paulasantana seasonalmortalitypatternsduetodiseasesofthecirculatorysysteminportugal
AT joaovasconcelos seasonalmortalitypatternsduetodiseasesofthecirculatorysysteminportugal
AT elisabetefreire seasonalmortalitypatternsduetodiseasesofthecirculatorysysteminportugal