Abstract
The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between air temperature data against hospital admissions due to respiratory diseases of children (under five years of age) and the elderly (over 65) in subtropical Porto Alegre, Brazil, comparing outcomes for 3 sequential years, 2018â2020, pre- and post-COVID 19 pandemic. Meteorological and hospital admission (HA) data for Porto Alegre, marked by a Koeppen-Geigerâs Cfa climate type with well-defined seasons, were used in the analyses. HA was obtained for respiratory diseases (J00â99, according to the International Classification of Diseases, ICD-10) from the Brazilian DATASUS (Unified Health System database). We performed correlation analysis between variables (HA versus air temperature and heat stress) in order to identify existing relationships and lag effects (between meteorological condition and morbidity). Relative risk (RR) was also obtained for the two age groups during the three years. Results showed that the pandemic year disrupted observed patterns of association between analyzed variables, with either very low or non-existent correlations.
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00484-023-02516-1/MediaObjects/484_2023_2516_Fig1_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00484-023-02516-1/MediaObjects/484_2023_2516_Fig2_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00484-023-02516-1/MediaObjects/484_2023_2516_Fig3_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00484-023-02516-1/MediaObjects/484_2023_2516_Fig4_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00484-023-02516-1/MediaObjects/484_2023_2516_Fig5_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00484-023-02516-1/MediaObjects/484_2023_2516_Fig6_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00484-023-02516-1/MediaObjects/484_2023_2516_Fig7_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00484-023-02516-1/MediaObjects/484_2023_2516_Fig8_HTML.png)
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Achebak H, Devolder D, Ingole V, Ballester J (2020) Reversal of the seasonality of temperature-attributable mortality from respiratory diseases in Spain. Nat Commun 11(1):2457. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16273-x
Agranonik, M. (2009). EquaçÔes de estimação generalizadas (GEE): aplicação em estudo sobre mortalidade neonatal em gemelares de Porto Alegre, RS (1995-2007). [Generalized estimation equations (GEE): application in a study on neonatal mortality in twins in Porto Alegre, RS (1995-2007)] MSc Thesis, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Available at https://lume.ufrgs.br/bitstream/handle/10183/19081/000735185.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Angoulvant F, Ouldali N, Yang DD, Filser M, Gajdos V, Rybak A et al (2021) Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: impact caused by school closure and national lockdown on pediatric visits and admissions for viral and nonviral infectionsâa time series analysis. Clin Infect Dis 72(2):319â322. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa710
Chan EY, Goggins WB, Yue JS, Lee P (2013) Hospital admissions as a function of temperature, other weather phenomena and pollution levels in an urban setting in China. Bull World Health Organ 91:576â584. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.12.113035
Chiapinotto S, Sarria EE, Mocelin HT, Lima JA, Mattiello R, Fischer GB (2021) Impact of non-pharmacological initiatives for COVID-19 on hospital admissions due to pediatric acute respiratory illnesses. Paediatr Respir Rev 39:3â8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prrv.2021.04.003
Coelho FC, Lana RM, Cruz OG, Villela D, Bastos LS, Piontti APY et al (2020) Assessing the potential impact of COVID-19 in Brazil: mobility, morbidity and the burden on the health care system. MedRxiv 03. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.19.20039131
Costa IT, Wollmann CA, Gobo JPA, Ikefuti PV, Shooshtarian S, Matzarakis A (2021) Extreme weather conditions and cardiovascular hospitalizations in Southern Brazil. Sustainability 13(21):12194. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132112194
da Silva IR, Nedel AS, Marques JRQ, Nolasco JĂșnior LR (2019) Excess of childrenâs outpatient consultations due to asthma and bronchitis and the association between meteorological variables in Canoas City, Southern Brazil. Int J Biometeorol 63:1517â1524. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-018-1650-z
Dales RE, Schweitzer I, Toogood JH, Drouin M, Yang W, Dolovich J, Boulet J (1996) Respiratory infections and the autumn increase in asthma morbidity. Eur Respir J 9(1):72â77
Fouillet A, Rey G, Laurent F, Pavillon G, Bellec S, Guihenneuc-Jouyaux C et al (2006) Excess mortality related to the August 2003 heat wave in France. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 80:16â24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-006-0089-4
Gupta A, Bush A, Nagakumar P (2020) Asthma in children during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons from lockdown and future directions for management. Lancet Respir Med 8(11):1070â1071. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30278-2
Ikefuti PV, Barrozo LV, Braga AL (2018) Mean air temperature as a risk factor for stroke mortality in SĂŁo Paulo, Brazil. Int J Biometeorol 62:1535â1542. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-018-1554-y
Kovats RS, Hajat S (2008) Heat stress and public health: a critical review. Annu Rev Public Health 29:41â55. https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.29.020907.090843
KrĂŒger EL, Nedel AS (2022) Investigating the relationship between climate and hospital admissions for respiratory diseases before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Sustainability 15(1):288. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010288
Liang KY, Zeger SL (1986) Longitudinal data analysis using generalized linear models. Biometrika 73(1):13â22
McCullagh P (1983) Quasi-likelihood functions. Ann Stat 11(1):59â67
MinistĂ©rio da SaĂșde. (2023) BOLETIM EPIDEMIOLĂGICO ESPECIAL - Semana EpidemiolĂłgica 51 (13 a 19/12/2020). Accessed June 2023 at: https://www.gov.br/saude/pt-br/coronavirus/boletins-epidemiologicos/boletim-epidemiologico-covid-19-no-42.pdf.
Nick LM, Nedel AS, Alonso MF, Marques JQ, de Freitas RAP (2022) Relationship between meteorological variables and pneumonia in children in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Int J Biometeorol 66(11):2301â2308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-022-02357-4
PrĂŒss-ĂstĂŒn A, CorvalĂĄn C (2007) How much disease burden can be prevented by environmental interventions? Epidemiology 18(1):167â178. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ede.0000239647.26389.80
Ravindra K, Rattan P, Mor S, Aggarwal AN (2019) Generalized additive models: building evidence of air pollution, climate change and human health. Environ Int 132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.104987
Rodgers L, Sheppard M, Smith A, Dietz S, Jayanthi P, Yuan Y et al (2021) Changes in seasonal respiratory illnesses in the United States during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Clin Infect Dis 73(Supplement_1):S110âS117. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciab311
Schneider A, Breitner S (2016) Temperature effects on health-current findings and future implications. EBioMedicine 6:29â30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.02.034
Sheffield PE, Landrigan PJ (2011) Global climate change and childrenâs health: threats and strategies for prevention. Environ Health Perspect 119(3):291â298. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1002233
Shi L, Kloog I, Zanobetti A, Liu P, Schwartz JD (2015) Impacts of temperature and its variability on mortality in New England. Nat Clim Change 5(11):988â991. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2704
SimÔes e Silva AC, Oliveira EA, Martelli H Jr (2020) Coronavirus disease pandemic is a real challenge for Brazil. Front Public Health 8:268. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00268
Souza A, Santos DADS, Ikefuti PV (2017) Association between climate variables, pollutants, aerosols and hospitalizations due to asthma. O Mundo Da SaĂșde (Cusc. Impresso) 41:359â367. https://doi.org/10.15343/0104-7809.20174103359367
Thomson MC, Muñoz ĂG, Cousin R, Shumake-Guillemot J (2018) Climate drivers of vector-borne diseases in Africa and their relevance to control programmes. Infect Dis Poverty 7(04):15â36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-018-0460-1
Tråjer AJ, Sebestyén V, Domokos E, Abonyi J (2022) Indicators for climate change-driven urban health impact assessment. J Environ Manage 323:116165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116165
Wedderburn RW (1974) Quasi-likelihood functions, generalized linear models, and the GaussâNewton method. Biometrika 61(3):439â447
World Health Organization (2004) International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems: alphabetical index, vol 3. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
Xu Z, Sheffield PE, Hu W, Su H, Yu W, Qi X, Tong S (2012) Climate change and childrenâs healthâa call for research on what works to protect children. Int J Environ Res Public Health 9(9):3298â3316. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph9093298
Acknowledgements
Prof. Dr. JoĂŁo Paulo Assis Gobo, Universidade Federal de RondĂŽnia, for the graphical output of the location map for Porto Alegre.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
KrĂŒger, E.L., Nedel, A.S., dos Santos Gomes, A.C. et al. Analyzing the relationship between air temperature and respiratory morbidity in children and the elderly in Porto Alegre, Brazil, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Biometeorol 67, 1461â1475 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-023-02516-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-023-02516-1