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Brazil had 120,000 deaths linked to heat waves over 20 years
A study released this week estimates that approximately 120,000 deaths in Brazil from 2000 to 2019 were associated with heat waves. This equates to 0.6 percent of the total mortality recorded during that period, excluding deaths from external causes (accidents and violence). The risk of hospitalizations due to respiratory, kidney, and gastrointestinal diseases also increased during periods of extreme temperatures. Notícias relacionadas:Climate change affects 85% of Brazilians, survey shows.Effects of climate emergency on the ocean worry researchers.Rio hits 44ºC, highest temperature since 2014.The survey was conducted by researchers from the Fiocruz research foundation and the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). The data cover 5,566 Brazilian municipalities – nearly all of them. Only four were excluded due to technical and administrative incompatibilities. The findings indicate a consistent association between exposure to extreme heat and increased mortality, especially among the elderly, people with respiratory diseases, women, and individuals with lower levels of education. Fiocruz researcher Beatriz Oliveira highlights the study’s significance as it provides a more comprehensive assessment of the country. UFBA researcher Ismael Silveira says the results highlight the seriousness of the problem. “An important implication is the recognition of heat waves as a major public health risk. This allows us to draw attention to specific contingency plans, as well as strengthen the capacity of [Brazil’s national health care network] the SUS to both anticipate and respond to such events,” he argued. Hospitalizations According to the study, heat waves consistently raise the risk of hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases – especially pneumonia – and genito-urinary diseases, such as kidney failure, in virtually all regions of Brazil. Among children under 10, gastroenteritis emerged as the cause of hospitalization most strongly associated with extreme heat. According to the researchers, factors contributing to this scenario include greater vulnerability to dehydration and environmental changes that affect water quality and food preservation. Among people over 60, the study identified a high susceptibility to respiratory, renal, and metabolic diseases, including diabetes. The study also suggests that cardiovascular events during heat waves can rapidly progress to severe conditions, with the possibility of death before hospitalization. Among people over 60, the study identified a high susceptibility to respiratory, renal, and metabolic diseases, including diabetes. – Fabio Rodrigues-Pozzebom / Agência Brasil In the view of Sávio Raeder, supervisor of Impacts, Vulnerabilities, and Adaptation for the Ciência&Clima project, the results highlight social inequalities in the effects of extreme heat. “Regarding hospital morbidity, we examined different health outcomes – a topic that has yet to be thoroughly studied in Brazil. Regarding mortality, we identified a social risk gradient, with a greater percentage surge in the risk of death among people with lower levels of schooling. These results reinforce the need to direct adaptation and protection measures toward the most vulnerable groups,” Raeder declared. Ciência&Clima is a technical cooperation initiative between the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MCTI) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), as well as ProAdapta – a partnership between Brazil’s Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change and Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety. More frequent heat waves According to the study, most Brazilian municipalities recorded a higher frequency and greater intensity of heat waves from 2000 to 2019. The most frequent and longest-lasting events occurred in the North and Central-West regions, while the episodes with the highest intensity relative to historical averages were observed in the South and Southeast. The authors advocate for strengthening monitoring and early warning systems for heat waves, as well as incorporating climate information into the epidemiological and environmental surveillance activities of the SUS. According to Maurício Guerra, director for Urban Environment at the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change and a member of ProAdapta, the results demonstrate that extreme heat is already having significant impacts on the health of Brazilians. “The research sends an unequivocal message – extreme heat is already costing lives in Brazil. The more than 120,000 deaths associated with heat waves reveal that adaptation to climate change must move forward urgently, expanding the development of green and resilient cities,” said Guerra.