Evidence Aid newsletter: 30 August 2023
Welcome to Evidence Aid’s August newsletter.
It’s no news to anyone living in Europe that July 2023 marked one of the hottest summer months thus far. Referred to by many as a ‘heat dome’ — or a phenomenon that occurs when the atmosphere traps hot ocean air — this most recent heatwave left parts of Greece, eastern Spain, Sardinia, Sicily and southern Italy with temperatures well above 45°C. Not only will these temperatures break records, but they will also put lives at-risk.
Last year, heat waves between the summer months of May and September killed over 61,000 people across Europe. The impacts of the extreme heat was revealed to be most deadly for those with existing health conditions, often exacerbating any underlying vulnerabilities. As temperatures rose yet again this year, scientists warned that 2023 could be the hottest year on record — a likely consequence of our human-caused climate crisis.
As such, this month’s newsletter contains recommendations from the National Health Service (NHS) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC), including steps you can take to protect yourself from extreme heat, as well as several relevant Evidence Aid summaries about the impact of rising temperatures, heatwaves, diseases, and their relationship to the climate crisis. We also briefly point your attention to an upcoming webinar on 21 September 2023 in partnership with Evidence Synthesis Ireland. Details below.
Extreme Heat and Heatwaves: How to Protect Yourself
As the global climate crisis worsens, extreme heat and rising temperatures will increasingly become the norm. And, unless the current European heat dome is disrupted, it’s possible that July’s heat wave won’t be the last of this summer. So, knowing how to protect yourself and others can, in fact, be life-saving.
Like all other weather-related events and crises, impacts are not distributed nor felt equally. Those who are already vulnerable, including older people, babies, women, people who live on their own, and people with long-term illnesses or health conditions, are often the populations most at-risk. Individual steps, however, such as those provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) can help to protect both yourself and others.
Small steps such as wearing appropriate clothing, staying indoors, and carefully scheduling outdoor activities can mitigate the impacts of extreme heat events. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms including tiredness, dizziness, headache, high temperature, or weakness/fatigue, then take the necessary precautions to ensure that they cool down. Some precautions include removing unnecessary clothing layers, staying hydrated, and moving to a cooler place. The NHS website has additional information on heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Additional Evidence Aid summaries related to heatwaves and climate change
The following summaries include information on the effects of climate change as it relates to heatwaves, rising temperatures, and the consequential impacts on health. Both of these highlighted summaries can be found in our Evidence collection, the Humanitarian impact of climate change.
Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and heatwaves.
Citation: Cheng J, et al. Cardiorespiratory effects of heatwaves: A systematic review and meta-analysis of global epidemiological evidence. Environmental Research. 2019;177:108610.
Rising temperature and malaria transmission in Europe.
Citation: Fischer L, et al. Rising temperature and its impact on receptivity to malaria transmission in Europe: A systematic review. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease. 2020;36:101815.
Additional Information
Join us on Thursday, 21 September 2023, at 2:00PM BST (UTC +1) with Evidence Synthesis Ireland for a webinar titled:
Evidence Aid: Summarising Systematic Reviews for Decision-Makers in the Humanitarian Sector
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