Association of Normal Weather Periods and El Nino Events With Hospitalization for Viral Pneumonia in Females: California, 1983-1998

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 91; no. 8; pp. 1200 - 1208
• Main Authors: Ebi, Kristie L, Exuzides, K. Alex, Lau, Edmund, Kelsh, Michael, Barnston, Anthony
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Am Public Health Assoc 01.08.2001; American Public Health Association; American Journal of Public Health 2001
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; California; California - epidemiology; Child; Climate; Climate change; El Nino; Female; Females; Geography; Hospitalization; Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data; Hospitals; Human viral diseases; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infectious diseases; Influenza; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Ocean currents; Patient Admission - statistics & numerical data; Pneumonia; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Viral - transmission; Poisson Distribution; Population; Population Surveillance; Precipitation; Public health; Rain; Regression Analysis; Seasons; Temperature; Topography, Medical; Treatment; USA; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the respiratory system and ent viral diseases; Weather; Women; California; United States; North America; America; United States > US; USA, California; Human; Lung disease; Pneumonia; Meteorological phenomenon; Respiratory disease; Hospitalization; Change; Epidemiology; Infection; Weather; Atmospheric temperature; Seasonal variation; Viral disease; Female; Atmospheric precipitation; Public health; Geographical variation
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.91.8.1200
• ISSN: 0090-0036

This study examined associations between weather and hospitalizations of females for viral pneumonia during normal weather periods and El Niño events in the California counties of Sacramento and Yolo, San Francisco and San Mateo, and Los Angeles and Orange. Associations between weather and hospitalizations (lagged 7 days) for January 1983 through June 1998 were evaluated with Poisson regression models. Generalized estimating equations were used to adjust for autocorrelation and overdispersion. Data were summed over 4 days. Associations varied by region. Hospitalizations in San Francisco and Los Angeles increased significantly (30%-50%) with a 5 degrees F decrease in minimum temperature. Hospitalizations in Sacramento increased significantly (25%-40%) with a 5 degrees F decrease in maximum temperature difference. The associations were independent of season. El Niño events were associated with hospitalizations only in Sacramento, with significant decreases for girls and increases for women. The results suggest that viral pneumonia could continue to be a major public health issue, with a significant association between weather and hospitalizations, even as the global mean temperature continues to rise. An understanding of population sensitivity under different weather conditions could lead to an improved understanding of virus transmission.