title: When are we most vulnerable to temperature variations in a day?
abstract: Daily temperature measures are commonly used when examining the association between temperature and mortality. In fact, temperature measures are available 24 hours a day and more detailed records may provide a better prediction of mortality compared to daily statistics. In this article, monthly stratified analysis modeling for mortality is conducted for the total population as well as the stratified elderly and younger subgroups. We identified the most significant time during the day that is associated with daily mortality. Surprisingly, the estimates of relative risk and magnitude of associations derived from the hourly temperature measures are similar or even stronger compared to those modeled by the daily statistics. This phenomenon remains true for lagged hourly temperature measures and the changing patterns of associations from January through December are revealed. In summary, people are the most vulnerable to temperature variations in the early morning around 5 am and the night time around 8 pm.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Biostatistical Consulting Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chao-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America.
authors.forename: Wen-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; National Environmental Health Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mu-Jean
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chen-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Nai-Tzu
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Huey-Jen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000397:Air Pollution; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009026:Mortality; D010126:Ozone; D012621:Seasons; D013624:Taiwan; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D010126:Ozone