When are we most vulnerable to temperature variations in a day?

PLoS One. 2014 Dec 2;9(12):e113195. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113195. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Daily temperature measures are commonly used when examining the association between temperature and mortality. In fact, temperature measures are available 24 hours a day and more detailed records may provide a better prediction of mortality compared to daily statistics. In this article, monthly stratified analysis modeling for mortality is conducted for the total population as well as the stratified elderly and younger subgroups. We identified the most significant time during the day that is associated with daily mortality. Surprisingly, the estimates of relative risk and magnitude of associations derived from the hourly temperature measures are similar or even stronger compared to those modeled by the daily statistics. This phenomenon remains true for lagged hourly temperature measures and the changing patterns of associations from January through December are revealed. In summary, people are the most vulnerable to temperature variations in the early morning around 5 am and the night time around 8 pm.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Air Pollution
  • Female
  • Forecasting
  • Humans
  • Humidity
  • Male
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Mortality*
  • Ozone
  • Seasons*
  • Taiwan
  • Temperature*

Substances

  • Ozone

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Taiwan National Science Council [NSC 99-2621-M-006-008, NSC 100-2621-M-006-001, NSC 100-2314-B-010-057-MY2, NSC 101-2621-M-006-001, NSC 101-2625-M- 006-009, and NSC102-2621-M-006-001]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis.