Heatwave Events and Mortality Outcomes in Memphis, Tennessee: Testing Effect Modification by Socioeconomic Status and Urbanicity

Li, Ying; Akkus, Cem; Yu, Xinhua; Joyner, Andrew; Kmet, Jennifer; Sweat, David; Jia, Chunrong

doi:10.3390/ijerph16224568

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Heatwave Events and Mortality Outcomes in Memphis, Tennessee: Testing Effect Modification by Socioeconomic Status and Urbanicity

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Department of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA

School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA

Children’s Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Memphis, TN 38103, USA

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Department of Geosciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA

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Shelby County Health Department, Memphis, TN 38105, USA

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(22), 4568; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16224568

Received: 30 September 2019 / Revised: 5 November 2019 / Accepted: 13 November 2019 / Published: 18 November 2019

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate change and Public Health: Emerging Knowledge on Impacts and Vulnerabilities)

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Abstract

Heatwave studies typically estimate heat-related mortality and morbidity risks at the city level; few have addressed the heterogeneous risks by socioeconomic status (SES) and location within a city. This study aimed to examine the impacts of heatwaves on mortality outcomes in Memphis, Tennessee, a Mid-South metropolitan area top-ranked in morbidity and poverty rates, and to investigate the effects of SES and urbanicity. Mortality data were retrieved from the death records in 2008–2017, and temperature data from the Applied Climate Information System. Heatwave days were defined based on four temperature metrics. Heatwave effects on daily total-cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality were evaluated using Poisson regression, accounting for temporal trends, sociodemographic factors, urbanicity, and air pollution. We found higher cardiovascular mortality risk (cumulative RR (relative risk) = 1.25, 95% CI (confidence interval): 1.01–1.55) in heatwave days defined as those with maximum daily temperature >95th percentile for more than two consecutive days. The effects of heatwaves on mortality did not differ by SES, race, or urbanicity. The findings of this study provided evidence to support future heatwave planning and studies of heatwave and health impacts at a coarser geographic resolution. View Full-Text

Keywords: heatwave; mortality; socioeconomic status; urbanicity; relative risk; Memphis

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Li, Y.; Akkus, C.; Yu, X.; Joyner, A.; Kmet, J.; Sweat, D.; Jia, C. Heatwave Events and Mortality Outcomes in Memphis, Tennessee: Testing Effect Modification by Socioeconomic Status and Urbanicity. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 4568. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16224568

AMA Style

Li Y, Akkus C, Yu X, Joyner A, Kmet J, Sweat D, Jia C. Heatwave Events and Mortality Outcomes in Memphis, Tennessee: Testing Effect Modification by Socioeconomic Status and Urbanicity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019; 16(22):4568. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16224568

Chicago/Turabian Style

Li, Ying, Cem Akkus, Xinhua Yu, Andrew Joyner, Jennifer Kmet, David Sweat, and Chunrong Jia. 2019. "Heatwave Events and Mortality Outcomes in Memphis, Tennessee: Testing Effect Modification by Socioeconomic Status and Urbanicity" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 22: 4568. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16224568

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Heatwave Events and Mortality Outcomes in Memphis, Tennessee: Testing Effect Modification by Socioeconomic Status and Urbanicity

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