Population vulnerability to heat: A case-crossover analysis of heat health alerts and hospital morbidity data in Victoria, Australia

Objective

From 2010 to 2022, the Victorian Department of Health operated a heat health alert system. We explored whether changes to morbidity occurred during or directly after these alerts, and how this differed for certain population groups.

Methods

We used a space-time-stratified case-crossover design and conditional logistic regression to examine the associations between heat health alerts and heat-related and all-cause emergency department (ED) presentations and hospital admissions at the state-wide level, with models created for the whole population and subgroups. Data were included for the warm season (November-March) from 2014 to 2021.

Results

Increases occurred in heat-related ED presentations (OR 1.73, 95% CI: 1.53-1.96) and heat-related hospital admissions (OR 1.23, 95% CI: 1.16-1.30) on days on or after heat health alerts. Effect sizes were largest for those 65 years and older, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and those living in the most disadvantaged areas.

Conclusions

We confirm that increases in morbidity occurred in Victoria during heat health alerts and describe which population groups are more likely to require healthcare in a hospital.

Implications for Public Health

These findings can inform responses before and during periods of extreme heat, data-driven adaptation strategies, and the development of heat health surveillance systems.