Relationship between Ambient Temperature and Mortality in Okinawa, Japan

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  • HONDA Yasushi
    <I>Environmental Epidemiology Section, Environmental Health Sciences Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies</I>
  • ONO Masaji
    <I>Environmental Epidemiology Section, Environmental Health Sciences Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies</I>
  • SASAKI Akihiko
    <I>Department of Physiological Hygiene, Institute of Public Health</I>
  • UCHIYAMA Iwao
    <I>Department of Industrial Health, Institute of Public Health</I>

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  • 沖縄県における気温と死亡との関係
  • Relationship between Ambient Temperatur

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Abstract

We conducted a study on the relationship between the ambient temperature and mortality in Okinawa, which is by far the warmest prefecture in Japan. Using person-days method, we computed age-, sex- and daily maximum tem-perature-specific mortality rates. Okinawa's population restricted to 65 years of age and older has been aging during the past 20 years. However, the mortality rate difference for this age group by daily maximum temperature, as well as the mortality rate for each daily maximum temperature category, has decreased. The observed mortality rate for every daily maximum temperature category was lower than the expected mortality rate obtained from the linear regression line that utilized the data of other pre-fectures. We consider that the low mortality and the small range of mortality rates owe to non-physiological adaptation, such as more air-tight houses, improvement of socio-economical status, and more common use of air-conditioners and so forth. Another possible explanation is Okinawa's maritime climate. The age-specific mortality pattern in Okinawa is irregular for some older age groups, whereas the corresponding age groups in Kyushu showed a “V shaped” pattern-the mortality rate is low at a moderate temperature and it is higher for either very low or very high temperature. The reason for this is unknown, but we speculate that it may be due to the difference in the mode of influenza epidemic; influenza epidemic is usually less obvious for a warmer area. The high mortality rates at high temperature levels were observed among younger age groups in Kyushu, probably due to accidents during summer outdoor activities such as swimming. This pattern was also less obvious in Okinawa. A possible explanation is that there were many hot days that do not belong to summer vacations in Okinawa.

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