Mortality–temperature thresholds for ten major population centres in rural Victoria, Australia

Mortality–temperature relationships in small regional towns in Victoria, Australia, were used to ascertain whether the effects of high ambient temperatures documented in the literature for major population centres in Europe and America are also noted in small rural communities in Australia. The esta...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health & place 2010-11, Vol.16 (6), p.1287-1290
Main Authors: Loughnan, Margaret, Nicholls, Neville, Tapper, Nigel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Australia
Campaigns
Elderly
Elderly people
Health
Health technology assessment
Heat Stress Disorders - mortality
Heat-related mortality
Hot Temperature - adverse effects
Hot weather
Humans
Mortality
Rural
Rural communities
Rural Population
Small towns
Temperature thresholds
Thresholds
Victoria - epidemiology
Weather
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Summary:Mortality–temperature relationships in small regional towns in Victoria, Australia, were used to ascertain whether the effects of high ambient temperatures documented in the literature for major population centres in Europe and America are also noted in small rural communities in Australia. The establishment of threshold temperatures in all major rural regions of Victoria indicate that hot weather results in an increase in mortality in persons aged 65 years and older. This adds considerable strength to the argument that human populations are vulnerable to heat events regardless of location. Heat alerts can be issued through local health and welfare agencies, to increase awareness of ‘hot’ weather as a health hazard for elderly people by providing education campaigns involving local authorities based on these simple thresholds.
ISSN:1353-8292
1873-2054
DOI:10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.08.008