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Modification of temperature-related human mortality by area-level socioeconomic and demographic characteristics in Latin American cities
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Modification of temperature-related human mortality by area-level socioeconomic and demographic characteristics in Latin American cities

Maryia Bakhtsiyarava, Leah H. Schinasi, Brisa N. Sánchez, Iryna Dronova, Josiah L. Kephart, Yang Ju, Nelson Gouveia, Waleska Teixeira Caiaffa, Marie S. O'Neill, Goro Yamada, …
Social science & medicine (1982), v 317, 115526
Jan 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115526
PMID: 36476939
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115526View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)CC BY V4.0,  Open

Abstract

Temperature-related mortality Climate Change Latin America Urban Health
In Latin America, where climate change and rapid urbanization converge, non-optimal ambient temperatures contribute to excess mortality. However, little is known about area-level characteristics that confer vulnerability to temperature-related mortality. Explore city-level socioeconomic and demographic characteristics associated with temperature-related mortality in Latin American cities. The dependent variables quantify city-specific associations between temperature and mortality: heat- and cold-related excess death fractions (EDF, or percentages of total deaths attributed to cold/hot temperatures), and the relative mortality risk (RR) associated with 1 °C difference in temperature in 325 cities during 2002–2015. Random effects meta-regressions were used to investigate whether EDFs and RRs associated with heat and cold varied by city-level characteristics, including population size, population density, built-up area, age-standardized mortality rate, poverty, living conditions, educational attainment, income inequality, and residential segregation by education level. We find limited effect modification of cold-related mortality by city-level demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and several unexpected associations for heat-related mortality. For example, cities in the highest compared to the lowest tertile of income inequality have all-age cold-related excess mortality that is, on average, 3.45 percentage points higher (95% CI: 0.33, 6.56). Higher poverty and higher segregation were also associated with higher cold EDF among those 65 and older. Large, densely populated cities, and cities with high levels of poverty and income inequality experience smaller heat EDFs compared to smaller and less densely populated cities, and cities with little poverty and income inequality. Evidence of effect modification of cold-related mortality in Latin American cities was limited, and unexpected patterns of modification of heat-related mortality were observed. Socioeconomic deprivation may impact cold-related mortality, particularly among the elderly. The findings of higher levels of poverty and income inequality associated with lower heat-related mortality deserve further investigation given the increasing importance of urban adaptation to climate change. • Limited evidence of effect modification of cold-related mortality in Latin American cities. • High income inequality is associated with greater excess mortality from cold for all ages. • Segregation and poverty are associated with higher excess mortality due to cold among the elderly. • Results for heat-related mortality are opposite of expectations (e.g., higher poverty – less heat-related mortality). • The results for heat-related mortality require further investigation.

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27 citations in Web of Science
18 citations in Scopus

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being
#13 Climate Action
#14 Life Below Water

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Social Sciences, Biomedical
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