TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2006//
TI  - Syndromic surveillance use to detect the early effects of heat-waves: an analysis of NHS direct data in England
JO  - Sozial und Praventivmedizin
A1  - Leonardi, G. S.
A1  - Hajat, Shakoor
A1  - Kovats, R. S.
A1  - Smith, G. E.
A1  - Cooper, David
A1  - Gerard, E.
SP  - 194
EP  - 201
VL  - 51
IS  - 4
N2  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of high ambient temperatures, including the summer 2003 heat-episode, on NHS Direct usage and its suitability as a surveillance tool in heat health warning systems. METHODS: Analyses of data on calls to NHS Direct in English Regions in the period Dec 2001-May 2004. Outcomes were daily rates of all symptomatic calls, and daily proportion of calls for selected causes (fever, vomiting, difficulty breathing, heat/sun-stroke) RESULTS: Total calls were moderately increased as environmental temperature increased; this effect was greatest in calls for young children and for fever. Total calls were moderately elevated during two summer heat episodes in 2003: calls specifically for heat/sun stroke increased acutely in response to these episodes. No association was apparent between environmental temperature and proportion of calls for vomiting and difficulty breathing. CONCLUSIONS: Calls to NHS Direct are sensitive to daily temperatures and extreme weather. NHS Direct is timely and has great potential in health surveillance. Calls for heat- and sun-stroke are now routinely monitored as part of the UK Heat-wave plan.     <p></p>    <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0303-8408
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -