@article{ref1,
title="Mortality attributable to heat and cold among the elderly in Sofia, Bulgaria",
journal="International journal of biometeorology",
year="2021",
author="Gasparrini, Antonio and Sera, Francesco and Dimitrova, Lyudmila K. and Petkova, Elisaveta P.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="Although a number of epidemiological studies have examined the effects of non-optimal temperatures on mortality in Europe, evidence about the mortality risks  associated with exposures to hot and cold temperatures in Bulgaria is scarce. This  study provides evidence about mortality attributable to non-optimal temperatures in  adults aged 65 and over in Sofia, Bulgaria, between 2000 and 2017. We quantified the  relationship between the daily mean temperature and mortality in the total elderly  adult population aged 65 and over, among males and females aged 65 and over, as well  as individuals aged 65-84 and 85 years or older. We used a distributed lag  non-linear model with a 25-day lag to fully capture the effects of both cold and hot  temperatures and calculated the fractions of mortality attributable to mild and  extreme hot and cold temperatures. Cold temperatures had a greater impact on  mortality than hot temperatures during the studied period. Most of the  temperature-attributable mortality was due to moderate cold, followed by moderate  heat, extreme cold, and extreme heat. The total mortality attributable to  non-optimal temperatures was greater among females compared to males and among  individuals aged 85 and over compared to those aged 65 to 84. The findings of this  study can serve as a foundation for future research and policy development aimed at  characterizing and reducing the risks from temperature exposures among vulnerable  populations in the country, climate adaptation planning and improved public health  preparedness, and response to non-optimal temperatures.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0020-7128",
doi="10.1007/s00484-020-02064-y",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00484-020-02064-y"
}