The Mortality Impact of Heat Waves on Different Age Groups

Heatwaves in Europe, becoming more and more common, have a disproportionate impact on older people. In 2021, 90% of heat-related deaths in the United Kingdom were among people aged 65 and older. When France had its deadliest heatwave in 2003, most of the 150,000 people who died were older (via). 

Masselot et al. (2023) analysed data of 854 European cities from thirty countries (27 EU, Norway, Switherland, UK) with more than 50,000 inhabitants to study the mortality impact of high temperatures on different age groups.. Average temperature-related mortality relative risks (RR) showed an increasing trend by age. The city with the highest heat-related mortality risks was Paris - across all ages and for the age group 85 and older in particular. Generally, effects were larger for the oldest age group with three to four excess deaths due to heat per 100,000 person-years (38% of the total burden for heat). In contrast, there was less than one per 100,000 person-years in the youngest age group. Overall, i.e., considering heat and cold, those aged older than 85 contributed about 40% of the total mortality burden. 

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- Pierre Masselot, Malcolm Mistry, Jacopo Vanoli, MSc Rochelle Schneider, Tamara Iungman,  David Garcia-Leon,  Juan-Carlos Ciscar,  Luc Feyen,  Hans Orru,  Aleš Urban,  Susanne Breitner Veronika Huber,  Alexandra Schneider,  Evangelia Samoli,  Massimo Stafoggia,  Francesca de’Donato,  Shilpa Rao,  Ben Armstrong,  Mark Nieuwenhuijsen,  Ana Maria Vicedo-Cabrera,  Antonio Gasparrini (2023). Excess mortality attributed to heat and cold: a health impact assessment study in 854 cities in Europe. The Lancet, 7(4), 271-281, link
- photograph by Martin Parr via