Comparing exposure metrics for classifying ‘dangerous heat’ in heat wave and health warning systems

• Published in: Environment international Vol. 46; pp. 23 - 29
• Main Authors: Zhang, Kai, Rood, Richard B., Michailidis, George, Oswald, Evan M., Schwartz, Joel D., Zanobetti, Antonella, Ebi, Kristie L., O'Neill, Marie S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Air mass; Bayes Theorem; Biological and medical sciences; Climate; Cluster Analysis; Ergonomics. Workplace layout. Occupational psychology; Forecasting; Heat health warning system; Heat Stress Disorders - mortality; Heat Stress Disorders - prevention & control; Heat wave; Hot Temperature; Humans; Likelihood Functions; Medical sciences; Michigan; Model-based clustering; Occupational medicine; Occupational psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Public Health - methods; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Temperature; Weather; Michigan; USA, Michigan, Detroit; Temperature; Air mass; Heat wave; Model-based clustering; Heat health warning system; Human; Health system; Atmospheric condition; Dog days; Heatwave; Exposure; Modeling; Heat; Classification; Health hazards; Models; Warning system; Public health

Heat waves have been linked to excess mortality and morbidity, and are projected to increase in frequency and intensity with a warming climate. This study compares exposure metrics to trigger heat wave and health warning systems (HHWS), and introduces a novel multi-level hybrid clustering method to...