Faculty of Sicence, Charles University Aleš Urban, Praha 2012 Effects of temperature extremes on hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases The thesis compares differences in the impacts of warm and cold days on both excess mortality and hospitalizations for individual cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in Prague and a selected rural region (southern Bohemia - JČ) consisting of the Jihočeský kraj and Vysočina districts in the period 1994- 2009. Population size and age structure are similar in the two regions. The differences are compared between selected population groups (men and women; < 65 and 65+ years). Value of the 90% (10%) percentile of daily mean air temperature in summer (winter) during the period were used for the definition of warm (cold) days for each region separately. The excess mortality and hospitalizations were determined as the difference from standardized daily counts of death and hospital admissions, adjusted for epidemics of influenza/acute respiratory infections, long-term changes, and for annual and weekly cycles of mortality and hospitalizations. Generally higher relative excess CVD mortality on warm days was identified in Prague, while for cold days we found higher excess mortality in south Bohemia. In contrast to mortality, weak excess CVD hospitalizations were observed for both...

A municipalização vem transformando a lógica das relações entre usuários, serviços e gestores e, neste cenário as ações desenvolvidas pela Divisão de Avaliação, Controle e Auditoria (DACA) tornam-se cada vez mais relevantes. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: descrever a produção de internações hospitalares processadas e remuneradas, no período de 1996 a 2003, pela Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Ribeirão Preto-SP (SMS-RP), nos aspectos físicos e financeiros; identificar os fatores explicativos para a variação desta produção segundo relato dos sujeitos que produzem e/ou utilizam as informações sobre internação hospitalar no município de estudo. As bases teóricas da investigação constituíram-se: das Normas Operacionais Básicas e Normas Operacionais da Assistência à Saúde com vistas à implementação do Sistema Único de Saúde; o financiamento, o sistema de informações e gestão das internações hospitalares na esfera local de saúde. Para desenvolvimento da pesquisa adotou-se uma abordagem descritiva utilizando dados quantiqualitativos. A população de estudo constituiu-se de todas as internações hospitalares processadas/pagas pela SMS-RP, através do Sistema de Informações Hospitalares do SUS (SIH-SUS), para os cinco hospitais (A,B,C,D e E) contratados/conveniados com o SUS, no período de 1996-2003, nas especialidades de clínica médica, cirurgia, obstetrícia e pediatria. As técnicas de coleta de dados foram a pesquisa documental em banco de dados oficiais da DACA e DATASUS referente às internações hospitalares e, a realização de entrevista semi estruturada e ilustrada por uma vinheta. Foram sujeitos do estudo 18 pessoas que no sistema local de saúde, produzem e/ou utilizam as informações pertinentes às internações hospitalares no município para fins de avaliação, auditoria, controle e tomada de decisão quanto à distribuição de Autorização de Internação Hospitalar (AIH) e alocação de recursos financeiros. No período de 1996-2003 foram pagas pela SMS-RP 160.612 internações, totalizando gastos da ordem de R$ 98.154.570,78. Houve, no período, um incremento de 56% no número de internações e de 156,3% nos recursos financeiros. Nos hospitais B e C, ambos filantrópicos, as internações cresceram 91,3% e 27,9%, respectivamente, concentrando cerca de 2/3 das internações do período. O hospital A (privado) mostrou redução de 85,9% no volume de internações, porém os valores médios de AIH são elevados, indicando que o hospital pode ter se especializado em procedimentos de alto custo. As internações na especialidade de clínica cirúrgica cresceram 72,4% e, na clínica médica, 60,7%. Na especialidade de obstetrícia o crescimento de internações foi de 31,6% e na pediatria de 31,4%. O valor médio de AIH apresentou variação entre os cinco hospitais, sendo que o menor valor foi de R$ 40,38 na pediatria e o maior, de R$ 6.963,82 na clínica cirúrgica. Os valores financeiros alocados tiveram um crescimento acentuado em relação a produção física. Os fatores explicativos apontados pelos entrevistados para a variação na produção de internações dizem v respeito à estrutura demográfica e envelhecimento da população; organização do sistema local de saúde; incorporação tecnológica, financiamento e atuação do gestor. Os resultados obtidos indicam a necessidade de organização e sistematização das atividades da DACA para instrumentalizar o gestor nos aspectos de fiscalização, controle, regulação e avaliação da produção de internações no âmbito do sistema local de saúde. / Bringing hospital admissions under municipal control has transformed the logic in the relationship among users, services and management and this frame, the actions deployed by the Evaluation, Control and Audit Division (DACA) become more and more relevant. The goals of the present study are: describing, taking into account financial and physical aspects, hospital admissions that took place from 1996 to 2003 record and paid by the Municipal Health Department of Ribeirão Preto and identifying the factors explaining variations in these admissions according to reports made by subjects producing and using informations about them at local level. The following elements constitute the theoretical bases of the present study: Basic Operational Norms and Heath Care Operational Norms having as goal the implementation of Unified Health Care System (SUS), funding, information system and hospital admission management within the municipality. In order to develop the research the descritive approach using dates the quantitative and qualitative. The population studied was composed of all hospital admissions recorded and paid by the Municipal Health Department, through the Hospital Information System of Unified Health Care System (SUS), to all five hospital (A,B,C,D e E) under contract to SUS in the period from 1996 to 2003 in the following specialities: general medic practice, surgery, obstetrics and pediatrics. The techniques of collecting data were to investigate into official documents and data banks belonging to DACA and DATASUS relating to hospital admissions and doing a semistructured interview illustrated by the aid of a sequence. The study had 18 subjects who in the local system produce and use informations about hospital admissions in the order to make them available, to control, audit, evaluation and decision making so that they can be used in the distribution of Hospital Admission Authorization and allocation of financial resources. In the period from 1996 to 2003, the Municipal Health Department paid 160.612 hospital admissions what led to expenses amounting to R$ 98.154.570,98. In the same period there was an increase of 56 % in the number of hospital admissions and 156,3% in the financial resources. In the hospitals B and C, both philanthropic institutions, admissions grew by 91,3% and by 27,9% respectively, representing 2/3 vii of the admissions in the period. Hospital A, private, showed an 85,9% reduction of admissions in the same period. However, the average levels of Hospital Admission Authorization were very high, indicating that the hospital may have focused rather on high-cost procedures. Admissions in the clinic surgery increased by 72,4% and the general medic practice by 60,7%. In obstetrics, the increase of admissions was 31,6% and the pediatrics of 31,4%. The average value of the Hospital Admission Authorization presented variations among the five hospitals and the highest cost was R$ 6.993,82 in clinic surgery and the lowest one was R$ 40,38 in pediatrics. It was also observed that the financial and physical production changed each year and among the five hospitals. The allocated financial values had a considerable increase as compared to physical production. The pointed explanatory factors for the interviewees for the variation in the production of hospital admission production concern the demographic structure and aging of the population; organization of the local system of health; technological incorporation, financing and the manager's performance. The obtained results indicate the organization need and systematize of the activities of DACA for instrumental the manager in the fiscalization aspects, control, regulation and evaluation of the production. hospital admissions in all aspects at local level of health.

A municipalização vem transformando a lógica das relações entre usuários, serviços e gestores e, neste cenário as ações desenvolvidas pela Divisão de Avaliação, Controle e Auditoria (DACA) tornam-se cada vez mais relevantes. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: descrever a produção de internações hospitalares processadas e remuneradas, no período de 1996 a 2003, pela Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Ribeirão Preto-SP (SMS-RP), nos aspectos físicos e financeiros; identificar os fatores explicativos para a variação desta produção segundo relato dos sujeitos que produzem e/ou utilizam as informações sobre internação hospitalar no município de estudo. As bases teóricas da investigação constituíram-se: das Normas Operacionais Básicas e Normas Operacionais da Assistência à Saúde com vistas à implementação do Sistema Único de Saúde; o financiamento, o sistema de informações e gestão das internações hospitalares na esfera local de saúde. Para desenvolvimento da pesquisa adotou-se uma abordagem descritiva utilizando dados quantiqualitativos. A população de estudo constituiu-se de todas as internações hospitalares processadas/pagas pela SMS-RP, através do Sistema de Informações Hospitalares do SUS (SIH-SUS), para os cinco hospitais (A,B,C,D e E) contratados/conveniados com o SUS, no período de 1996-2003, nas especialidades de clínica médica, cirurgia, obstetrícia e pediatria. As técnicas de coleta de dados foram a pesquisa documental em banco de dados oficiais da DACA e DATASUS referente às internações hospitalares e, a realização de entrevista semi estruturada e ilustrada por uma vinheta. Foram sujeitos do estudo 18 pessoas que no sistema local de saúde, produzem e/ou utilizam as informações pertinentes às internações hospitalares no município para fins de avaliação, auditoria, controle e tomada de decisão quanto à distribuição de Autorização de Internação Hospitalar (AIH) e alocação de recursos financeiros. No período de 1996-2003 foram pagas pela SMS-RP 160.612 internações, totalizando gastos da ordem de R$ 98.154.570,78. Houve, no período, um incremento de 56% no número de internações e de 156,3% nos recursos financeiros. Nos hospitais B e C, ambos filantrópicos, as internações cresceram 91,3% e 27,9%, respectivamente, concentrando cerca de 2/3 das internações do período. O hospital A (privado) mostrou redução de 85,9% no volume de internações, porém os valores médios de AIH são elevados, indicando que o hospital pode ter se especializado em procedimentos de alto custo. As internações na especialidade de clínica cirúrgica cresceram 72,4% e, na clínica médica, 60,7%. Na especialidade de obstetrícia o crescimento de internações foi de 31,6% e na pediatria de 31,4%. O valor médio de AIH apresentou variação entre os cinco hospitais, sendo que o menor valor foi de R$ 40,38 na pediatria e o maior, de R$ 6.963,82 na clínica cirúrgica. Os valores financeiros alocados tiveram um crescimento acentuado em relação a produção física. Os fatores explicativos apontados pelos entrevistados para a variação na produção de internações dizem v respeito à estrutura demográfica e envelhecimento da população; organização do sistema local de saúde; incorporação tecnológica, financiamento e atuação do gestor. Os resultados obtidos indicam a necessidade de organização e sistematização das atividades da DACA para instrumentalizar o gestor nos aspectos de fiscalização, controle, regulação e avaliação da produção de internações no âmbito do sistema local de saúde. / Bringing hospital admissions under municipal control has transformed the logic in the relationship among users, services and management and this frame, the actions deployed by the Evaluation, Control and Audit Division (DACA) become more and more relevant. The goals of the present study are: describing, taking into account financial and physical aspects, hospital admissions that took place from 1996 to 2003 record and paid by the Municipal Health Department of Ribeirão Preto and identifying the factors explaining variations in these admissions according to reports made by subjects producing and using informations about them at local level. The following elements constitute the theoretical bases of the present study: Basic Operational Norms and Heath Care Operational Norms having as goal the implementation of Unified Health Care System (SUS), funding, information system and hospital admission management within the municipality. In order to develop the research the descritive approach using dates the quantitative and qualitative. The population studied was composed of all hospital admissions recorded and paid by the Municipal Health Department, through the Hospital Information System of Unified Health Care System (SUS), to all five hospital (A,B,C,D e E) under contract to SUS in the period from 1996 to 2003 in the following specialities: general medic practice, surgery, obstetrics and pediatrics. The techniques of collecting data were to investigate into official documents and data banks belonging to DACA and DATASUS relating to hospital admissions and doing a semistructured interview illustrated by the aid of a sequence. The study had 18 subjects who in the local system produce and use informations about hospital admissions in the order to make them available, to control, audit, evaluation and decision making so that they can be used in the distribution of Hospital Admission Authorization and allocation of financial resources. In the period from 1996 to 2003, the Municipal Health Department paid 160.612 hospital admissions what led to expenses amounting to R$ 98.154.570,98. In the same period there was an increase of 56 % in the number of hospital admissions and 156,3% in the financial resources. In the hospitals B and C, both philanthropic institutions, admissions grew by 91,3% and by 27,9% respectively, representing 2/3 vii of the admissions in the period. Hospital A, private, showed an 85,9% reduction of admissions in the same period. However, the average levels of Hospital Admission Authorization were very high, indicating that the hospital may have focused rather on high-cost procedures. Admissions in the clinic surgery increased by 72,4% and the general medic practice by 60,7%. In obstetrics, the increase of admissions was 31,6% and the pediatrics of 31,4%. The average value of the Hospital Admission Authorization presented variations among the five hospitals and the highest cost was R$ 6.993,82 in clinic surgery and the lowest one was R$ 40,38 in pediatrics. It was also observed that the financial and physical production changed each year and among the five hospitals. The allocated financial values had a considerable increase as compared to physical production. The pointed explanatory factors for the interviewees for the variation in the production of hospital admission production concern the demographic structure and aging of the population; organization of the local system of health; technological incorporation, financing and the manager's performance. The obtained results indicate the organization need and systematize of the activities of DACA for instrumental the manager in the fiscalization aspects, control, regulation and evaluation of the production. hospital admissions in all aspects at local level of health.

Abstract Emergency medical services (EMS) are designed to provide prompt response, on-scene treatment and transport for definitive care in patients with acute illness or injury. In recent years, the growing number of missions for non-urgent matters has challenged emergency care to design risk assessment protocols and tools to support decision-making and resource management at both dispatch and on-scene. The present study was designed to examine the efficacy of a criteria based dispatch protocol and National Early Warning Score (NEWS) in the Finnish EMS system. In addition, the aim of the research was to obtain data on patient allocation and mortality in the Northern Finnish population. The study data included 13,354 EMS missions from a six-month cohort (1.1.2014 - 30.6.2014) of prehospital emergency patients in two hospital districts – Kainuu and Länsi-Pohja – in Northern Finland, using a retrospective, observational design. Prehospital data including patient clinical physiological variables were combined with the national Finnish registries (Care Registry for Health Care, Intensive Care Consortium Database and Cause of Death Registry) in order to examine risk assessment in EMS and prehospital patient outcomes. Based on the result, the risk assessment at the dispatch was correct in 67.5% of the cases and four out of ten EMS missions did not lead to transportation by an ambulance. The use of the Finnish dispatch protocol resulted in an overall rate of 23% of over-triage and a 9% rate of under-triage. The highest NEWS category showed a good sensitivity for 1-day mortality but failed to adequately discriminate patients in need of intensive care or who died within 30-days in a large, unselected, typical EMS population. In conclusion, the criteria based dispatch protocol resulted in over-triage of a quarter of missions and in a significant rate of EMS missions without ambulance transportation. In addition, the predictive value of prehospital NEWS regarding the patient´s risk of death and need for intensive care was low. / Tiivistelmä Ensihoitopalvelu on suunniteltu tarjoamaan nopeaa vastetta, paikalla tapahtuvaa hoitoa ja kuljetusta lopulliseen hoitopaikkaan potilaille, joilla on akuutti sairaus tai vamma. Viime vuosien lisääntyneet yhteydenotot ei-kiireellisissä asioissa on johtanut riskinarviotyökalujen kehittämiseen tukemaan päätöksentekoa ja resurssienhallintaa hätäpuhelun aikana ja tapahtumapaikalla. Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin kriteeripohjaista hätäpuhelun käsittelyä sekä varhaisen varoituspistejärjestelmän (NEWS) tehokkuutta suomalaisessa ensihoitojärjestelmässä. Lisäksi tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli saada tietoa ensihoitopotilaiden hoitotuloksista ja kuolleisuudesta Pohjois-Suomessa. Tutkimukseen sisältyi 13 354 ensihoitotehtävää kuuden kuukauden kohortista (1.1.2014 – 30.6.2014) kahden sairaanhoitopiirin alueelta – Kainuu ja Länsi-Pohja – Pohjois-Suomessa käyttämällä retrospektiivistä havainnoivaa tutkimusmenetelmää. Ensihoidon aikana kerätty tieto, mukaan lukien potilaan kliiniset fysiologiset arvot, yhdistettiin kansallisiin rekistereihin (hoitoilmoitusrekisteri, tehohoitokonsortion laatutietokanta sekä kuolinsyyrekisteri) jotta ensihoitopotilaiden riskinarviota ja hoitotuloksia voitiin tutkia. Tutkimustulosten mukaan 67.5 prosentissa tapauksista riskinarvio hätäkeskuksessa oli oikea ja neljä kymmenestä ensihoitotehtävästä ei johtanut kuljetukseen ambulanssilla. Suomalaisen hälytysprotokollan käyttö johti yliarviointiin 23 prosentissa tapauksista ja aliarviointiin 9 prosentissa tapauksista. Korkeariskin NEWS-luokan herkkyys 1-päivän kuolleisuudelle oli hyvä, mutta se ei kyennyt erottelemaan riittävän hyvin potilaita, jotka tarvitsivat tehohoitoa tai kuolivat 30 päivän sisällä suuressa ei-valikoidussa tyypillisessä ensihoitopotilasväestössä. Yhteenvetona todettiin, että kriteeripohjaisen riskinarvion käyttö johti yliarvioon neljänneksestä tapauksista sekä huomattavaan ensihoitotehtävämäärään ilman ambulanssikuljetusta. Lisäksi ensihoidon aikana käytetyn varhaisen varoituspistejärjestelmän ennusteellinen arvo potilaan kuolemanriskin ja tehohoidon tarpeeseen oli matala.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:13:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AnnataliaMAG.pdf: 525935 bytes, checksum: 09c7dcbf450f58547b91f6293fe51bae (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-10-29 / This ethnographic work studies the experiences of patients admitted in public (PUH) and private (PRH) hospitals in the Brazilian northeastern region. 28 adult patients of different clinics participated in the study. Data were analyzed by the patient path method, consisting in a combination of complemented and articulated techniques free observation, participating observation, ethnographic interview and patient testimonials collected prospectively during the patients admissions, from their arrival and until their discharge. The analysis was carried out according to the Thematic Categories Analysis Technique and the data were interpreted pursuant to medical anthropology, healthcare humanization and healthcare promotion theoretical references. The ethical principles of Resolution 196/96 were followed. The human hospital, as revealed by the patient, highlights the significance of subjectivity. 225 (54.7%) out of 411 mentioned concepts were collected in a public hospital (PUH) and 186 (45.3%) in a private institution (PRH). The results show that the patient at the PUH and PRH ethnoevaluates different aspects of the healthcare professionals? human and technical competence, the hospital?s functioning structure, the access to and the ethics in the financial management, and develops overcoming strategies for his stay at the hospital. This ethnoevaluation is mediated by different factors, namely: social and economic status, personality, religiosity, ironic speech, somber diagnosis and satisfied needs, prior hospital experiences and the conditions under which the interview was carried out. A pedagogic proposal for the hospital humanization must include structural, managerial and organizational changes of the offered services and use active methodologies aimed to the political resolution of problematic situations at work and the inclusion of affective and subjective factors, and become as well a tool for the collective learning. This study shows the importance for the user?s ethnoevaluation to be incorporated into the hospital management and care as a guideline in the decision making and clinical action, thus promoting practices that shall lead to a decent and humanized care. The multidisciplinary nature of this study allowed a wide understanding of the user?s perspective as a socially critical ethnoevaluator / Este estudo etnogr?fico investiga a experi?ncia vivida do paciente internado em hospital p?blico (HPU) e privado (HPR) no Nordeste brasileiro. Os participantes da pesquisa foram 28 pacientes adultos atendidos nas diversas cl?nicas. Os dados foram estudados pelo m?todo O Percurso do Paciente , consistindo de uma combina??o complementar e articulada de t?cnicas - observa??o livre, observa??o participante, entrevista etnogr?fica e narrativas do paciente, coletadas prospectivamente durante a hospitaliza??o, desde a sua chegada at? a alta. A an?lise ocorreu conforme a T?cnica de An?lise Categorial Tem?tica e os dados foram interpretados ? luz dos referenciais te?ricos da Antropologia M?dica, humaniza??o do cuidado e promo??o da sa?de. Foram observados os princ?pios ?ticos da Resolu??o 196/96. O hospital humano, revelado pelo paciente, destaca a import?ncia da subjetividade. Das 411 unidades de significados desveladas, 225 (54,7%) foram no hospital p?blico (HPU) e 186 (45,3%) no hospital privado (HPR). Os resultados indicam que o paciente etnoavalia no HPU e no HPR aspectos da compet?ncia humana e t?cnica do profissional da sa?de, a estrutura e funcionamento hospitalar, o acesso e a ?tica na condu??o das finan?as; e desenvolve estrat?gias de supera??o da hospitaliza??o. Esta etnoavalia??o ? mediada por diversos fatores: condi??o socioecon?mica, personalidade, religiosidade, discurso ir?nico, diagn?stico sombrio e necessidades atendidas, experi?ncia anterior de hospitaliza??o e condi??es da entrevista. Uma proposta pedag?gica para humaniza??o hospitalar dever? vincular-se ?s mudan?as estruturais, gerenciais e organizacionais dos servi?os; utilizar-se de metodologias ativas que visem ? politiza??o, ? problematiza??o das situa??es concretas de trabalho e ? inclus?o dos afetos e intersubjetividades; al?m de constituir-se em aprendizagem coletiva. O estudo mostra a import?ncia de a etnoavalia??o do usu?rio ser incorporada ao projeto da gest?o e aten??o hospitalar como orientadora de decis?es e a??es cl?nicas, consistindo em promotora de pr?ticas que levem a um cuidado resolutivo, digno e humanizado. A multidisciplinaridade da pesquisa permitiu ampla apreens?o da perspectiva do usu?rio como etnoavaliador cr?tico social

Medication safety and improving communication at care transitions are an international priority. There is vast evidence on the scale of error associated with medicines reconciliation and some evidence of successful interventions to improve reconciliation. However, there is insufficient evidence on the factors that contribute towards medication error at transitions, or the roles of those involved. This thesis examined current UK medicines reconciliation practice within primary and secondary care, and the role of HCPs and patients. Using a mixed-method, multi-centre design, the type and severity of discrepancies at admission to hospital were established and staff undertaking medicines reconciliation across secondary and primary care were observed, using evidence-informed framework, based on a narrative literature review. The overall processes used to reconcile medicines were similar; however, there was considerable inter and intra-organisational variation within primary and secondary care practice. Patients were not routinely involved in discussions about their medication, despite their capacity to do so. Various human factors in reconciliation-related errors were apparent; predominantly inadequate communication, individual factors e.g. variation in approach by HCP, and patient factors e.g. lack of capacity. Areas of good practice which could reduce medicines reconciliation-related errors/discrepancies were identified. There is a need for increased consistency and standardisation of medicines reconciliationrelated policy, procedures and documentation, alongside communication optimisation. This could be achieved through a standardised definition and taxonomy of error, the development of a medicines reconciliation quality assessment framework, increased undergraduate and post-graduate education, improved patient engagement, better utilisation of information technology and improved safety culture.

Background: Although the majority of German patients in a palliative state prefer to die at home, the actual place of death is most often a hospital. Unplanned hospital readmissions (UHA) not only contradict most patients’ preferences but also increase the probability of an aggressive end-of-life treatment. As limited knowledge is available which factors contribute to an UHA, the PRePP-project aims to explore predictors related to informal caregivers (IC) as well as medical and structural factors. - Methods: This prospective, observational, mono-centric study will assess structural and medical factors as well as ICs’ psychological burden throughout seven study visits. Starting in April 2021 it will consecutively include 240 patients and their respective IC if available. Standardized measures concerning ICs’ Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF), psychological distress (NCCN-Distress Thermometer), anxiety (GAD-7) and depressiveness (PHQ-9) will be assessed. If participants prefer, assessment via phone, browser-based or paper-based will be conducted. Medical records will provide routinely assessed information concerning patient-related characteristics such as gender, age, duration of hospital stay and medical condition. Nurse-reported data will give information on whether hospitalization and death occurred unexpectedly. Data will be progressed pseudonymized. Multivariable regression models will help to identify predictors of the primary endpoint “unplanned hospital admissions”. - Discussion: The PRePP-project is an important prerequisite for a clinical risk assessment of UHAs. Nevertheless, it faces several methodological challenges: as it is a single center study, representativity of results is limited while social desirability might be increased as the study is partly conducted by the treatment team. Furthermore, we anticipated an underrepresentation of highly burdened participants as they might refrain from participation.

Background: Incidence of death and hospitalizations have been observed to depend on short-term changes in weather and to increase with extreme temperatures. This thesis aims to strengthen the scientific knowledge on the relationship between temperature and daily deaths, but also the relationship between temperature and daily hospital admissions. Methods: We constructed time series regression models using daily counts of death and daily weather from the Stockholm area incorporating adjustment for potential confounding factors, season, and long-term time trends. From these models, we established the short-term relationship with daily temperatures and the associated relative risks on daily deaths allowing for a delay between exposure and subsequent deaths. Daily hospital admissions and daily temperatures were analyzed correspondingly using data from Skåne. Results: Hot and cold temperatures significantly impact on mortality rates as well as rates of hospitalization in Sweden. We found an immediate heat effect on daily deaths, while the impacts of cold temperatures were delayed up to a week after exposure. Cold-related deaths are generally cardiovascular in nature, while deaths resulting from warm temperatures are cardiovascular, respiratory as well as non-cardiorespiratory in nature. The impacts following a heat wave appear to increase proportionally with the length of the extreme hot conditions. The results suggest that the population aged 45 years and older is the main group at elevated risk of death when exposed to high and low temperatures. Moreover, the results suggest that there are several factors of susceptibility on an individual basis that correspond to larger relative risk with high and/or low temperatures. Daily hospitalisations increased in particular among individuals with respiratory illnesses during extreme persistent heat, whereas high temperatures in general have little impact. In contrast, hospitalizations increased for up to two weeks following exposure to cold temperatures. Conclusions: The health impacts related to temperature are a serious concern and the attributed impacts are likely to increase to some extent in the future due to an ageing population. Public health preventive strategies should be developed to prevent health consequences related to heat waves and cold temperatures. Future studies should aim at identifying susceptible individuals with elevated death risk at hot and cold ambient temperature conditions.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 2010.