Associations between short-term ambient temperature exposure and emergency department visits for amphetamine, cocaine, and opioid use in California from 2005 to 2019

Objectives. A nationwide study of the impact of high temperature on respiratory disease hospitalizations among older adults (65+) living in large urban centers. Methods. Daily rates of short-stay, inpatient respiratory hospitalizations were examined with respect to variations in ZIP-code-level daily mean temperature in the 120 largest US cities between 2000-2017. For each city, we estimated cumulative associations (lag-days 0-6) between warm-season temperatures (June-September) and cause-specific respiratory hospitalizations using time-stratified conditional quasi-Poisson regression with distributed lag non-linear models. We estimated nationwide associations using meta-regression and updated city-specific associations via best linear unbiased prediction. With stratified models, we explored effect modification by age, sex, and race (Black/white). Results were reported as percent change in hospitalizations at high temperatures (95th percentile) compared to median temperatures for each outcome, demographic-group, and metropolitan area. Excess hospitalization rates were estimated for days above median temperatures. Results. At high temperatures, we observed increases in the percent of all-cause respiratory hospitalizations [1.2 (0.4, 2.0)], primarily driven by an increase in respiratory tract infections [1.8 (0.6, 3.0)], and chronic respiratory diseases/respiratory failure [1.2 (0.0, 2.4)]. East North Central, New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Pacific cities accounted for 98.5% of the excess burden. By demographic group, we observed disproportionate burdens of heat-related respiratory hospitalizations among the oldest beneficiaries (85+ years), and among Black beneficiaries living in South Atlantic cities. Conclusion. This study found robust impacts of high temperature on respiratory failure and chronic inflammatory and fibrotic diseases among older adults. The geographic variation suggests that contextual factors account for disproportionate burdens.

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Exploring the Nexus of Climate Change and Substance Abuse: A Scoping Review

Tomassini,

Lancia,

Gambelunghe

et al. 2024

IJERPH

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Introduction: The increase in average air temperature and multiple extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and droughts, pose significant health risks to humans. This scoping review aims to examine the current state of the existing literature concerning the potential relationship between substance abuse and climate change, along with the aspects it encompasses. Material and methods: The review followed PRISMA guidelines for methodological rigor, aiming to identify studies on drug abuse. Searches were conducted across the primary databases using specific search strings. Quality assessment involved evaluating the research question’s clarity, search strategy transparency, consistency in applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, and reliability of data extraction. Results: Most studies were conducted in the USA. They included observational and retrospective quantitative studies, as well as qualitative and prospective observational ones. Research examined the correlation between extreme weather and some substance abuse. All studies analyzed the adverse effects of climate change, especially heatwaves, on both physiological and pathological levels. Conclusions: The scoping review notes the scarcity of studies about the correlation between substance abuse and climate change, and emphasizes the threats faced by individuals with substance abuse and mental health disorders due to climate change.

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Associations between short-term ambient temperature exposure and emergency department visits for amphetamine, cocaine, and opioid use in California from 2005 to 2019

Cited by 3 publications

References 62 publications

Elevated Ambient Temperature Associated With Increased Cardiovascular Disease–Risk Among Patients on Hemodialysis

Elevated Ambient Temperature Associated With Increased Cardiovascular Disease–Risk Among Patients on Hemodialysis

Impact of heat on respiratory hospitalizations among older adults living in 120 large US urban areas

Exploring the Nexus of Climate Change and Substance Abuse: A Scoping Review

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