A model of the relationship between consultation behaviour for asthma in a general practice and the weather

Kljakovic, Marjan; Salmond, Clare

doi:10.3354/cr010109

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 11 publications

(3 reference statements)

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“…A decrease in air temperature is an aggravating factor for asthmatic symptoms, regardless of the geo‐climatic areas under study [49–52]; furthermore, studies based on the synoptic method (categorization of daily weather into air mass types, which are homogeneous bodies of air with distinct thermal and moisture characteristics) supported findings derived from analyses with only air temperature as the meteorological variable [53]. While results of the effects of cold air on asthma are consistent, the role of humidity, wind and rainfall is still unclear and studies including these variables showed inconclusive and inconsistent results, maybe because their impact on the diffusion of pollen and pollutants is higher than that of air temperature [54–57].…”

Section: Weathermentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of climate change on environmental factors in respiratory allergic diseases

D’Amato¹,

Cecchi

2008

Clin Experimental Allergy

252

180

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A body of evidence suggests that major changes involving the atmosphere and the climate, including global warming induced by human activity, have an impact on the biosphere and the human environment. Studies on the effects of climate change on respiratory allergy are still lacking and current knowledge is provided by epidemiological and experimental studies on the relationship between asthma and environmental factors, such as meteorological variables, airborne allergens and air pollution. However, there is also considerable evidence that subjects affected by asthma are at an increased risk of developing obstructive airway exacerbations with exposure to gaseous and particulate components of air pollution. It is not easy to evaluate the impact of climate change and air pollution on the prevalence of asthma in general and on the timing of asthma exacerbations. However, the global rise in asthma prevalence and severity suggests that air pollution and climate changes could be contributing. Pollen allergy is frequently used to study the interrelationship between air pollution, rhinitis and bronchial asthma. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that urbanization, high levels of vehicle emissions and westernized lifestyle are correlated to an increase in the frequency of pollen-induced respiratory allergy, prevalent in people who live in urban areas compared with those who live in rural areas. Meteorological factors (temperature, wind speed, humidity, etc.) along with their climatological regimes (warm or cold anomalies and dry or wet periods, etc.), can affect both biological and chemical components of this interaction. In addition, by inducing airway inflammation, air pollution overcomes the mucosal barrier priming allergen-induced responses. In conclusion, climate change might induce negative effects on respiratory allergic diseases. In particular, the increased length and severity of the pollen season, the higher occurrence of heavy precipitation events and the increasing frequency of urban air pollution episodes suggest that environmental risk factors will have a stronger effect in the following decades.

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Section: Weathermentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of climate change on environmental factors in respiratory allergic diseases

D’Amato¹,

Cecchi

2008

Clin Experimental Allergy

252

180

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“…Empirical evidence shows that asthma visits, as a general occurrence, were most closely related to temperature and relative humidity, while rainfall and wind strength had no relationship to asthma visits (24). Furthermore, findings exist to support the supposition that pediatric asthma exacerbations are related to airborne allergens and weather factors rather than air-quality factors (25).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Upper-Air Observation Indicators Predict Outbreaks of Asthma Exacerbations among Elementary School Children: Integration of Daily Environmental and School Health Surveillance Systems in Pennsylvania

et al. 2012

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“…14 Other research has looked at the impact of the weather on people with specific health conditions such as asthma. 15 Studies looking at the association between thunderstorms in 1994 and acute asthma found that epidemics of acute asthma consultations related temporally and spatially to thunderstorms throughout England, Scotland, and Wales. 16,17 There is evidence of an impact of weather on specific groups and those with specific health conditions impacting on UK GP services, and international research that suggests a broader impact of adverse weather on primary care/emergency services, but there is no research exploring whether adverse weather impacts on GP home visiting, a key element of NHS service resilience.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of weather on GP home visits: a cross-sectional study

2019

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BackgroundGPs in the UK conduct >13 million home visits each year. The visits, which are resource intensive, are usually to the frailest patients who are least resilient to adverse weather.AimTo explore the relationship between meteorological variables (temperature, rainfall, sunshine) and temporal variables (day of the week, season) with GP home visits (HVs).Design and settingA cross-sectional study using data provided by Herts Urgent Care for its GP acute in-hours visiting service and UK Meteorological (Met) Office weather data for the Herts & South East region of the UK.MethodThe association between the number of GP HVs and weather and temporal variables was explored using univariable and multivariable negative binomial regression.ResultsThere was a significant 0.4% decrease in HVs per degrees Celsius increase in minimum temperature (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.996, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.993 to 0.999), and a 0.4% decrease per hour increase in sunshine (IRR 0.996, 95% CI = 0.992 to 1.000), as well as significant decreases in weekday HVs compared with Mondays (Thursday IRR 0.824, 95% CI = 0.790 to 0.859). There were 6.2% fewer HVs in summer compared with winter (IRR 0.938, 95% CI = 0.902 to 0.975). Multivariable negative binomial regression showed non-significant relationships between meteorological variables and HVs, but a significant day-of-the-week relationship.ConclusionGP HVs increased on cold days and fell on sunnier days. The effect sizes were small so it is unlikely that there is any clinically significant effect of weather on HVs in this acute GP visit setting. A tentative conclusion might also be that GPs in this system can deliver care to frail housebound patients in most weather conditions.

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A model of the relationship between consultation behaviour for asthma in a general practice and the weather

Cited by 9 publications

References 11 publications

Effects of climate change on environmental factors in respiratory allergic diseases

Effects of climate change on environmental factors in respiratory allergic diseases

Upper-Air Observation Indicators Predict Outbreaks of Asthma Exacerbations among Elementary School Children: Integration of Daily Environmental and School Health Surveillance Systems in Pennsylvania

Effect of weather on GP home visits: a cross-sectional study

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