Elderly vulnerability to temperature-related mortality risks in China.

ABSTRACT: The elderly face elevated mortality risk due to rising temperature. Previous assessments of temperature-related mortality, however, lack a comprehensive analysis of distinct impacts of temperature change across different timescales and characteristics. Using a longitudinal survey of 27,233 elderly Chinese citizens from 2005 to 2018, we establish connections between rising temperatures, temperature variability, and extreme heat with increased mortality risk, assessed through four annual metrics that combine temperature and humidity. The intensity and prolonged duration of extreme heat are found to have the greatest impact on mortality risk. Furthermore, by identifying heterogeneous impacts based on location, sex, age, obesity, income, and diet, we reveal the pathways through which temperatu

SUBMITTER: Yao X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11797541 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature