Skip to main content
Open access
Research Article
1 May 2001

The impact of heat waves and cold spells on mortality rates in the Dutch population.

Publication: Environmental Health Perspectives
Volume 109, Issue 5
Pages 463 - 470

Abstract

We conducted the study described in this paper to investigate the impact of ambient temperature on mortality in the Netherlands during 1979-1997, the impact of heat waves and cold spells on mortality in particular, and the possibility of any heat wave- or cold spell-induced forward displacement of mortality. We found a V-like relationship between mortality and temperature, with an optimum temperature value (e.g., average temperature with lowest mortality rate) of 16.5 degrees C for total mortality, cardiovascular mortality, respiratory mortality, and mortality among those [Greater and equal to] 65 year of age. For mortality due to malignant neoplasms and mortality in the youngest age group, the optimum temperatures were 15.5 degrees C and 14.5 degrees C, respectively. For temperatures above the optimum, mortality increased by 0.47, 1.86, 12.82, and 2.72% for malignant neoplasms, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, and total mortality, respectively, for each degree Celsius increase above the optimum in the preceding month. For temperatures below the optimum, mortality increased 0.22, 1.69, 5.15, and 1.37%, respectively, for each degree Celsius decrease below the optimum in the preceding month. Mortality increased significantly during all of the heat waves studied, and the elderly were most effected by extreme heat. The heat waves led to increases in mortality due to all of the selected causes, especially respiratory mortality. Average total excess mortality during the heat waves studied was 12.1%, or 39.8 deaths/day. The average excess mortality during the cold spells was 12.8% or 46.6 deaths/day, which was mostly attributable to the increase in cardiovascular mortality and mortality among the elderly. The results concerning the forward displacement of deaths due to heat waves were not conclusive. We found no cold-induced forward displacement of deaths.

Formats available

You can view the full content in the following formats:

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Environmental Health Perspectives
Volume 109Issue 5May 2001
Pages: 463 - 470
PubMed: 11401757

History

Published online: 1 May 2001

Authors

Affiliations

M M Huynen
International Centre for Integrative Studies, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. [email protected]
P Martens
International Centre for Integrative Studies, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. [email protected]
D Schram
International Centre for Integrative Studies, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. [email protected]
M P Weijenberg
International Centre for Integrative Studies, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. [email protected]
A E Kunst
International Centre for Integrative Studies, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. [email protected]

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

About Article Metrics


Citations

Download citation

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click DOWNLOAD.

Cited by

  • Climate and disease in historical urban space: evidence from 19th century Poznań, Poland, Climate of the Past, 10.5194/cp-20-137-2024, 20, 1, (137-150), (2024).
  • Adaptive fabric with emissivity regulation for thermal management of humans, Nanophotonics, 10.1515/nanoph-2023-0930, 13, 17, (3067-3075), (2024).
  • Effects of heat waves and cold spells on blood parameters: a cohort study of blood donors in Tianjin, China, Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 10.1265/ehpm.24-00023, 29, 0, (25-25), (2024).
  • Burning Question: How Does Our Brain Process Positive and Negative Cues Associated with Thermosensation?, Physiology, 10.1152/physiol.00034.2023, 39, 4, (218-230), (2024).
  • Life Expectancy Reversals in Low‐Mortality Populations, Population and Development Review, 10.1111/padr.12619, 50, 2, (437-459), (2024).
  • Indoor overheating: A review of vulnerabilities, causes, and strategies to prevent adverse human health outcomes during extreme heat events, Temperature, 10.1080/23328940.2024.2361223, 11, 3, (203-246), (2024).
  • Evaluation of the intensity of urban heat islands during heat waves using local climate zones in the semi-arid, continental climate of Tehran, Urban Climate, 10.1016/j.uclim.2024.102079, 56, (102079), (2024).
  • Exploring pedestrian thermal risk exposure and its determinants among various types of walking trips: A gendered examination from a GPS-based study in Nanjing, Travel Behaviour and Society, 10.1016/j.tbs.2024.100841, 37, (100841), (2024).
  • Potential mechanisms of ischemic stroke induced by heat exposure, Science of The Total Environment, 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175815, (175815), (2024).
  • Cold wave induced mortalities in Bangladesh: Spatiotemporal analysis of 20 years’ data, 2000–2019, Natural Hazards Research, 10.1016/j.nhres.2024.01.010, (2024).
  • See more

View Options

View options

PDF

View PDF

Get Access

Restore your content access

Enter your email address to restore your content access:

Note: This functionality works only for purchases done as a guest. If you already have an account, log in to access the content to which you are entitled.

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Copy the content Link

Share on social media